Chloe Fitzpatrick was flying from Manchester to Ibiza last month and duly informed staff of her airborne allergy to strawberries – an ingredient which could cause her to go into anaphylactic shock.

Despite being common procedure to ensure staff have time to dispose of any products containing the ingredient, Chloe claims that the cabin crew manager was immediately “unhappy” about doing so.

The 23-year-old alleges that the manager was instead concerned about the “loss of commission” from being unable to serve drinks like rose wine and pink gin.

She claims that the staff ignored her pleas after a “degrading” 45-minute deliberation, instead choosing to continue serving the products and making Chloe wear a face mask and sit near a filtered vent.

Chloe alleges that after initially being asked to leave the aircraft so that staff could discuss whether she was “suitable to fly”, she was seen by an “extremely patronising” medic.

The medic – who Chloe claims was not a doctor nor an allergy specialist – allegedly told her that she should undergo tests before every flight to check whether she even still had the allergy.

It was then that Chloe says she was let back on the flight with a promise that her allergy would be announced over the speaker system.

However, upon finding their seats and taking off, Chloe claims it was clear that they had not removed any products with strawberries in them.

Instead, the cabin crew were allegedly only serving them to people not “in close proximity” to Chloe.

This left the holiday-maker “petrified” as she says she was left “thousands of feet off the ground surrounded by products that could potentially kill [her]”.

Taking to social media last week, Chloe shared the full story of her heartbreaking experience.

She wrote: “I am still in utter shock and disbelief following my recent experience on a Jet2 flight on Friday 18 Aug 2023. I flew out to Ibiza on Flight LS1731 departing 16:05.

“As most of you know, I have a severe allergy. Prior to making a booking and then at the check-in desk I have always been told to notify the onboard crew when boarding the aircraft.

“When it was time to board the aircraft the check-in staff scanned our boarding passes and we were allowed to board the plane with special assistance.

“This was to allow time for the crew to remove any strawberry products from the inflight food service.

“As soon as the cabin crew manager was notified, she instantly seemed unhappy about removing the strawberry products.

“The list of strawberry products consisted of rose wine, pink gin, strawberry daiquiris, Fruit Pastilles and Haribo sweets.

“I believe, because this was a Friday night flight to Ibiza, she was concerned more about the potential loss of commission from not being able to sell the alcoholic products than my welfare.

“We were then asked to exit the aircraft whilst the manager and the pilot discussed whether I was suitable to fly. This was so degrading, embarrassing and discriminatory against me.

“I understand that they cannot guarantee a strawberry-free flight as they have no control over what passengers bring on board.

“But the airline does have a duty of care to minimise the risk by stopping serving the products they have onboard and to make an in-flight announcement to ensure passengers who may have brought these products on themselves are aware of my allergy.

“I know I take a risk flying and in fact even leaving the safety of my own home is an informed risk I take every single day in order to live as normal a life as possible.

“I always have my two EpiPens with me to keep myself as safe as possible and to use in case of an emergency.

“I usually feel confident flying as all airlines usually assist with minimising the risk. I am still struggling to believe that on this particular flight to Ibiza Jet2 refused to do this.

“Eventually, the crew agreed to let me fly and explained that this would be at my own risk.

“They would make an announcement about my strawberry allergy, sit me near a filtered vent and give me a mask to wear.

“The flight eventually took off and an announcement was made about my allergy.

“But then it became clear that they had not removed the strawberry products from the inflight service.

“They had decided to only not serve these products to people on the rows in close proximity to us, not the whole of the flight.

“As you can imagine I was petrified. I was thousands of feet off the ground surrounded by products that could potentially kill me.

“This was also extremely distressing and heartbreaking for my sister too who was terrified that I could go into anaphylactic shock, rendering me unconscious and could potentially die in front of her.

“She felt absolutely helpless. In day-to-day life, I have the ability to physically remove myself from potential risk when strawberry products are in the vicinity.

“On an aircraft with recycled air, I cannot do this.

“The cabin crew did not make the conditions of the flight clear; had we known strawberry products were still going to be sold we would not have boarded the plane.

“The decision made by the crew put my life at risk.

“The decision to still serve those products was and remains dangerous, disgraceful, discriminatory and shows a lack of awareness with regards to life threatening allergies.

The post received over 900 likes, more than 800 shares and dozens of comments as many were left disgusted by Jet2’s alleged handling of the situation.

Maddie Knight wrote: “That’s so upsetting and dangerous. I hope you’re feeling okay now.

“The airline should consider themselves lucky that you didn’t have a serious reaction as it would have been 100% their fault.”

Kate Conboy said: “Utterly unforgivable treatment by a company who should know better.”

Sheila Elliot commented: “Glad you’re okay, Chloe. That’s so, so disgraceful.”

Breanna Alice added: “As if your life isn’t hard enough already as it is. What an absolute disgrace – I am so, so sorry that you and your family have had this awful experience.

Rachel Wilcock wrote: “So sorry that you had to experience this, Chloe. You would think after Natasha [Ednan-Laperouse] passed away on a flight, airlines would be doing all they can to do the right thing.

“Accepting that you can’t control what people bring onto a flight (a fear you live with every time you step out the door) the airline most certainly has a duty of care to keep you safe on that flight by controlling what they stock.

“The more I think about this, the more enraged I am. Sending you lots of love, sweetheart.”

Writing in conclusion to her situation, Chloe revealed that Jet2 had further confirmed via text that they were unwilling to stop selling strawberry products onboard her return flight.

She went on to add that she no longer felt safe on a Jet2 airplane, leaving her and her sister to book a flight home through Ryanair instead – who she said she was “so grateful” to, for following guidelines.

She added: “As per industry guidelines Ryanair ceased the sale of their in-flight products containing strawberries and made two announcements outlining to other passengers the risk of opening any strawberry based products on board.

“I believe this is an embarrassing reflection on Jet2 as a company.

“My recent experience has made me feel extremely anxious about flying with other airlines in case this happens again. It has affected my confidence and I am really afraid of any future air travel.”

Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, 15, died in 2016 after suffering an anaphylactic shock to sesame seeds in a Pret a Manger baguette she had bought at Heathrow before catching a flight.

Her death led to the introduction of Natasha’s Law – put in place to protect people with food allergies who rely on the transparency of ingredients and food labelling for prepacked foods.

Jet2 has been approached for comment.

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The Balbirnie House Hotel in Glenrothes, Fife, was awarded the title by Haute Grandeur Awards for both hospitality experiences and layout of the romantic setting.

The hotel has celebrated an incredible 172 weddings alone, with a further 170 already book in advance for 2024.

However, the hotel’s grand title was not the only achievement for the winning establishment.

It has also been named ‘Best Country Hotel on a Country Level’, ‘Best Classic Hotel in Europe’, in addition to ‘Best Function Venue Hotel in Europe’. 

Speaking of the achievement, Balbirnie House Hotel Managing Director Nicholas Russell has said: “It is amazing to see the hard work and wonderful hospitality of so many people being recognised globally.

“We can certainly now reflect on an accumulated jaw-dropping history of celebrations, and long may it continue”.

Discussing what sets the Fife apart from other hotels, Russell continues: “What is the secret of this success?

“It is best described simply, as taking one very special day at a time, with many involved in doing their utmost to provide their absolute best warmth of welcome of Scottish hospitality”.

Founder and President of Haute Grandeur Global Hotel Awards, Marinique de Wet added: “More than ever before, recognition helps teams to remain positive and goal driven.”

The Haute Grandeur Global Hotel Awards are renowned for acknowledging outstanding accomplishments in providing consistently exceptional experiences within the global luxury hospitality sector.

Couple looking to find the ‘perfect’ venue in Fife are advised to book early as the hotel is quickly filling up dates in its diary.

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Siobhan Foster had been ready to jet off to Ibiza from Belfast, Ireland last month alongside family to attend her brother’s wedding when she says she was singled out by an air hostess.

The mum from Newtownabbey, Belfast claims she had asked a stewardess if there were any more overhead lockers which prompted a curt reply of “clearly not” from the staff member.

Despite her pleas being shot down by the hostess, Siobhan says she was quickly accused of being abusive to staff, resulting in her and her family being asked to disembark from the plane.

Shocking footage shows a large number of disgruntled passengers collecting luggage and bags as they appear to be leaving the plane.

A member of the wedding party who is filming can be heard saying to the staff: “Everybody’s seen it. The whole plane.”

The pilot can be seen standing in the doorway as someone repeats: “Walk off.”

She replies: “We’re willing to walk off with yous [sic]. The whole plane is, because of that one person.”

Siobhan, who is holding her one-year-old daughter Florence, walks to the exit as the camerawoman says: “Hey Florence. Getting threw [sic] off the plane today, are we?

“Because of somebody thinking they’re better than everyone else? Yeah. Because of this one person.”

The air hostess in question can be seen turning her face away from the camera as she repeats “Bye, bye” in an effort to seemingly shush the family.

The woman filming then pans the camera to show the plane void of passenger as she warns: “This is going all over the internet, all over. Believe you, me.”

After disembarking, the camerawoman can be seen comforting Siobhan who is in tears, reassuring her: “Bs. Don’t be crying, come on. As everyone else said on the plane, it’s nothing to do with you.

“Don’t be crying. Easy f***ing jet.”

Further footage shows the slew of passengers waiting in the airport as they await the next flight to Ibiza.

Siobhan later explained that the passengers – many of whom were part of her brother’s wedding party – were asked to leave the plane alongside her after chanting to instead evacuate the stewardess.

Siobhan claims that the traumatised family were escorted off by airport police, with approximately 180 passengers left in the lurch for several hours at Belfast International Airport.

She then went on to allege that as a result of the ongoing issues, staff had worked over the legal number of hours and passengers to Ibiza would therefore have to wait overnight to board a flight the next morning.

The family claim that they managed to find another flight which would get them to the wedding on time ,but had to fork out an eye-watering £1,500 – including a bus to Dublin Airport where they caught the new flight.

Siobhan took to social media to share the shocking footage last month alongside full context, writing: “I will never fly with easyJet again I understand why people call them sleezy jet.

“We were flying to Ibiza for my brother’s wedding, me, my husband and Florence got on the plane and we were at the first seats as we paid for extra leg room as I’m seven months pregnant.

“This particular flight attendant had such a grumpy look on her face. James sat down with Florence and I asked her was there any more space in the overhead lockers, her reply was a sharp ‘ Clearly Not’.

“So, I asked could you help me find somewhere, her reply was ‘You’ll need to find somewhere yourself’ even though there literally was nowhere.

“So, I said ‘Can you please help me I’m heavily pregnant and my husband has our daughter’. Her response was ‘You’re being abusive and its not my job to help you’.

“Then another air hostess – an older lady – approached me to say ‘Look this isn’t our job to help’ so I said any other airline I’ve flown with have been more than helpful with me as I’m pregnant etc.

“So of course, then she said I was abusive. Writing this I understand it would make you think well was I being abusive, but I honestly wasn’t and the whole plane can vouch for me.

“I found somewhere for the bag, put it up myself, sat down and the next minute two of the crew came over saying I was being aggressive – bearing in mind I’m heavily pregnant, I’m not going to stand and be aggressive.

“I decided to ignore her and she started raising her voice saying ‘Look at me!’. First of all, I’m not a child to be spoken to like that, and I was ignoring her as I was so upset at the way I was being treated.

“Then her and another approached us to say we were being thrown off the plane – we asked why as we literally hadn’t done anything, once again she said we we’re being aggressive.

“My brother and mum spoke to her asking exactly why we were being put off and again they couldn’t answer the question as they were in the wrong.

“After roughly one hour the whole plane was asked to get off, every passenger on there was chanting to get this air hostess off who in fact said she was the manager.

“Everyone went back inside and three police cars arrived, it was like something I’ve never experienced before.

“We all went down the stairs to find roughly eight police officers and two people from Swissport who said we are not getting back on the plane – this was easyJet’s decision, not the police.

“So that whole day we were in Belfast Airport from 1pm to 9pm with our child – my legs were so swollen and sore with being on them all this time, I was crying uncontrollably.

“I’m so traumatised to the point I don’t know how I’ll ever fly again.

“Every person on that plane is putting complaints in – some actually stood up on the plane to say to the pilot it was that air hostess who was being aggressive towards me, not me at all.

“So, I have a full plane of witnesses who are willing to tell how unfairly we were treated.

“A lot of the passengers have videos to prove this and took pictures of this particular air hostess to have proof of her disgusting behaviour.”

The post received over 780 likes, and hundreds of comments from users left disgusted by Siobhan’s alleged treatment.

Carol Kidd wrote: “Absolutely disgusting. No one deserves to be treated like this. Siobhan, take it further as that was uncalled for.”

Naomi Morrison said: “What the actual f**k did I just read? Oh my God, I’m stunned. Babe are you okay? How awful at any time but heavily pregnant with wee Florence too…she needs sacked.

“They acted disgracefully.”

Leanne Finlay commented: “What the f**k. My blood’s boiling for you. This is absolutely disgusting actually, I couldn’t believe [it] reading that. Shame on them.”

Debbie Oo added: “This is an absolute disgrace love, and you should most definitely take this further.

“No human should have been treated the way you [have] been treated. Disgraceful especially from such a large European airline company, clearly no customer service skills needed for this airline.”

A spokesperson for easyJet today said: “We can confirm that flight EZY3003 from Belfast to Ibiza on 19 August was attended by police before departure due to a group of passengers behaving disruptively at check in and then onboard.

“EasyJet’s cabin crew and ground agents are trained to assess and evaluate all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other passengers is not compromised at any time.

“Whilst such incidents are rare we take them very seriously and do not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour towards our crew or other passengers.

“The safety and wellbeing of our passengers, crew and ground agents is always easyJet’s priority.”

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We Hae Meat, shared recently how they have managed to reduce carbon emissions by almost 110%, despite Brexit, Covid and the ongoing energy crisis.

The Ayrshire-based family company conducts business by supplying major supermarket chains with high-quality sausages and burgers from its farm and factory.

The business also includes four traditional farms and even the cattle gain from a greener approach as waste cardboard is shredded for bedding.

In addition to their announcements, We Hae Meat shared how they have installed a biomass plant on site and solar panels, saving £750,000 from its annual energy costs. 

The company first created a carbon management plan in 2015 with support from environmental consultants Tomson Consultancy, reducing its emissions by nearly 90% within the first year alone.

It has since gone on to install LEDs and a wastewater treatment system. 

Further savings have come from switching its delivery fleet to hybrid plug-in vans charged by the company’s own combined heat and power electric generation, saving 66% on fuel costs, and using excess heat from on-site heat generation to replace tumble dryers.

These have all resulted in the business now being carbon neutral.

Alex Paton, fourth-generation farmer and co-founder of the business with his wife Carlyn, said: “Without doubt, we could have closed our doors in the last two years if we hadn’t made our operations much more sustainable.

“The increase in energy prices, on the back of Brexit and Covid, would have been impossible for us to absorb.

“We’ve seen other businesses in our sector struggling where we’ve been able to use the cost savings as a basis for growth.”

He added: “Brexit has affected competition for labour and maybe an inflationary effect on materials, and clearly Covid was disruptive for virtually every business sector.

“The increase in energy prices could have been catastrophic. We started on our net zero journey eight years ago because it was the right thing to do but now we’re really seeing the business benefits too.”

We Hae Meat’s achievements have resulted in being recognised for sustainability with the Co-Op in Scotland Awards.

Most recently, they won at the Scotland Food and Drink Excellence awards in 2022 for Sustainability Achievements

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Michelle Weigold has visited over 50 countries so far, but has fallen in love with Scotland after her first visit last summer, and her return last month.

The 34-year-old was met with a series of knockbacks though, including the temperament of Scottish weather and cancelled ferries to the islands.

Michelle, from Kentucky, USA, opted to share her travel tips for other budding tourists with a video that opens with on-screen text reading: “Things I wish I knew before I went to Scotland”.

Michelle begins with: “I’m Michelle and I post about budget travel, travel itineraries and family travel, and lately I’ve been posting a lot about the UK.

“Particularly Scotland, as I went there last summer for a few weeks and then returned this summer for even more time there.”

She adds: “I’m a very meticulous traveller. I do tons of research before I travel and visit these places but there’s still mistakes that I made, so learn from them.”

The clip cuts to the Cold Town House bar in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket as Edinburgh Castle looms overhead, and Scottish music plays in the background.

Michelle says: “Mistake number one was not pre-booking our tickets to attractions like Edinburgh Castle or Mary King’s Close.”

“We just figured we could get them that day and – no.”

The clip then cuts to Michelle and her husband looking sad at the camera as they stand outside the ruins of Melrose Abbey, Scottish Borders, which is fenced off and undergoing conservation work.

She says: “Mistake two was assuming all the sites we wanted to visit would be open and not under construction with fencing everywhere. Please always check in advance.”

The footage then shows a cold Michelle, clad in many layers including a winter hat, holding tightly onto her green parka as she stands on top of a hill.

She then explains: “Mistake three was underestimating how cold and windy it could get, even in the summer.”

Michelle can then be seen walking along a wet path towards a castle as her overlaid commentary says: “Mistake four was underestimating how often it would rain.

“Make sure to have a little umbrella in your bag at all times.”

In contrast to this, the clip then cuts to show the sun beaming down on Edinburgh’s Old Town as she adds: “Mistake five was underestimating how hot and sunny it could actually be…just always check the weather.”

Michelle then adds to her list in an update explaining she was mistakenly “booking ferries and not realising how often they’ve been cancelled lately.”

She adds: “It’s been all over the news but our ferry was cancelled and we were stranded on the Isle of Mull.”

She then moves onto the next mistake – miscalculating how many Highland Cows there are in Scotland, adding: “Last year, we drove nearly 1,300 miles all over Scotland and we didn’t actually see any.”

The video then shows Michelle’s husband and son adorably feeding a Highland Cow a carrot.

She then goes on to explain how there are many “winding and narrow” roads in Scotland – which appears to confuse many visiting tourists.

She then advises tourists to be mindful of the roundabouts and opposite-side driving.

Michelle then explains how her next mistake was “not bringing enough coins or cash”, adding: “When it came to public parking, that was an issue sometimes.”

Finally, Michelle concludes the video with her final mistake – loving Scotland too much – as she walks across a white sandy beach by a shimmering blue sea.

She concludes: “Our biggest mistake was coming to Scotland at all in the first place because it’s a wonderful county and now we’re obsessed and we’re going to spend a lot of money trying to come back here over the years.”

Michelle took to social media yesterday, to share the video, writing: “Useful tips before you get there.”

The video received over 4.800 likes and hundreds of comments from Scots and fellow travellers alike sharing their own advice.

One person wrote: “As long as you check the weather forecast, totally ignore it and prepare for any eventuality, you’ll be completely fine.”

Another said: “Scottish weather is a beast. When it’s sunny, it’s hot. That sun hits different and I live in Houston, so that’s saying something.”

A third commented: “Mistake one: Not realising you would fall in completely in love with Scotland and now you want to move.”

A fourth added: “I can attest to the cows, the driving and the parking, for sure. I went for the first time a year ago but learned quick.”

Speaking to Michelle today, she said: “I’ve been traveling internationally for years and have been to over 50 countries, but after my husband and I did a two-week road trip all through Scotland last year we became hooked.

“We haven’t visited a country back-to-back years before but there was something so special about it, and we just felt drawn to it.

“Last year, we went as a couple but this year we decided to return and bring along our three-year-old son.

“I was also six months pregnant during this second trip, so that was an added challenge, but we are so glad we made the journey.

“Being able to drive all over, experience all the different landscapes and see so many castles – it is just truly special.

“We just truly fell in love with Scotland, and for so many reasons.”

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Kevin Carr has made the move from Norwegian side Sparta Sarpsborg to Dundee Stars, arriving in the Scots city alongside wife Lo last week.

The 33-year-old has country-hopped across several teams including Nottingham Panthers, Utah Grizzlies in the USA and Medvescak Zagreb in Croatia.

Now he and wife Lo have shared a clip of their first time in the City of Discovery as they touched down in Scotland.

The clip begins with Lo opening the blinds in their new apartment amid the sunrise as on-screen text reads: “Day in my life, living in Dundee, Scotland.”

Lo voices over: “Hi. We’re the Carrs and this is our first full day living in Dundee, Scotland.”

Kevin can be seen cooking breakfast as Lo says: “We had a very simple morning. Jet lag is still very much a problem. Kev made breakfast. He makes about 99% of our meals.

“His dad’s a chef, so he’s learned from the very best. There’s really no point in me trying to cook.”

The clip then shows the Caird Hall and Desperate Dan’s statue as Lo says: “We walked into the city centre just to try to get a lay of the land, a little bit.

“I think I read something about the statues/sculptures but I can’t exactly remember what they were for.”

The camera then pans to Slessor Gardens as Kevin can be seen walking to get a first glimpse of the Tay Bridge.

Lo admits: “So funny but it takes a few weeks to remember what way to look when crossing the street, so we appreciate the little reminder.

The video then cuts to shots of the V&A Museum and the Discovery Ship.

Lo says: “We walked down to the water and saw the V&A Museum, saw the Discovery Ship and then we just walked by the train station – just to see where it was at.”

The clip cuts to the entrance to the train station before panning to a phone shop in the Overgate shopping centre, where the pair acquired SIM cards.

The camera also shows an empty American Candy shop which Lo claims she will do a separate video on in the future.

The video then shows the cobbled Exchange Street as Lo adds: “We had lunch at the Flame Tree. I keep seeing this coronation chicken. I haven’t tried it yet but I need to.”

The pair can be seen enjoying cups of tomato soup, as Kevin tucks into the tasty meal, before walking past a nearby cheesemonger.

Lo says: “I’ll definitely go back for cheese when we have wine night with the girls.”

The video then shows the Tickety Boos pub – a well-established boozer known for playing host to scores of sports fans before the pair end their day out in the city with a trip to Marks and Spencer.

Lo says: “We found the M&S and we did a little shopping there. In Nottingham, we went to M&S almost every day, so it’s very familiar for us and then we headed home for the night.”

They took to social media to share the footage yesterday, writing: “Our first day living in Dundee, Scotland.”

The video received over 14,700 likes and more than 400 comments from Scots who were quick to welcome the pair to the country.

One person wrote: “Best of luck in your new adventure.”

Another joked: “You’ve somehow managed to make Dundee look quite nice in this video.”

A third commented: “Dundee is going to be a shock to the system.”

A fourth said: “Welcome to Scotland, guys. You’re going to love our beautiful, wee country. Hope you guys settle and enjoy life here.”

A fifth wrote: “People will make jokes about Dundee but it’s honestly got so much cooler in the last few years and will be such an adventure – enjoy!”

A final commenter added: “I’m a [Dundee] Stars fan. Hope he has a great season.”

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Ally Connell Senior was out fishing with friend Michael Mccathie nearly two miles out from the shore in Dunbar, East Lothian on Saturday, when he spotted a large grey fin.

The 38-year-old has spotted minke whales, seals and dolphins over his four years of kayak fishing but noticed this was much larger than all of those, so whipped his camera out to grab some snaps.

Technician Ally was left amazed after realising that the fin belonged to a basking shark – the second largest living shark – which appeared to have taken an interest in their boats.

A series of images show the amazing encounter unfolding, with the first snap showing Ally and pal Michael posing as they sit in two separate orange and grey kayaks on shimmering blue water.

The next photos however, show the duo’s attentions diverted to the dark grey fin now meandering between the two kayaks, seemingly following Michael.

Waves and ripples can be seen breaking in the sea around Ally’s kayak as the shark comes into view just below the surface of the water.

The giant fish’s long dark frame can be seen silhouetted below the waves as it swims right past Ally’s boat.

Ally took to social media on Saturday to share the incredible snaps, writing: “Another good day’s fishing. Even had a Basking Shark circling my kayak. Amazing.”

The post received over 690 likes and dozens of comments as many stunned locals were left in awe of the close encounter.

One person wrote: “What a set up. Outstanding.”

Another said: “Bet your bum was twitching. Not many folk can say they’ve paddled with one.”

A third joked in reference to Jaws: “I think you need a bigger boat.”

Another added: “Amazing, beautiful creatures and not dangerous at all.”

A fifth wrote: “That must have been one hell of a thrill.”

Speaking to Ally today, he said: “I went out fishing with a friend on our kayaks. We were out around a mile and a half from the shore when I noticed the big fin.

“It then started circling my kayak, which I thought was an amazing experience and only managed to get a few snaps.

“It’s the first one I have seen – a basking shark – in [my] four years of kayak fishing.

“I’m local to Dunbar and have seen minke whales, seals, pods of dolphins but [this was] my first shark experience – amazing!”

The basking shark is the second largest living shark – and fish – in the world, behind the whale shark.

With large adult specimens reaching up to 10 metres in length, the basking shark can live up to 50 years and can be found on the water’s surface, right down to 910 metres deep.

Despite their size, basking sharks pose no danger to humans, and are filter feeders – mostly feeding on zooplankton, small fish and invertebrates in the water.

The species are one of only three plankton-eating shark species alongside the whale shark and megamouth shark, and are currently endangered.

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Showcasing Scotland, Scotland’s largest global food and drink trade event, announced its plan to return next to Edinburgh next March, to the delight of its numerous buyers.

The event will be organised by Scotland Food & Drink on behalf of the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership funding support and brings buyers from all over Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia together for an intensive face-to-face pitching process.

The event will be the first one held since 2019 and is expected to rake in millions of pounds in contracts for Scottish food and drink businesses.

International and UK buyers will also be taken on tours around Scotland to meet producers and see, first-hand, the breadth and quality of Scotland’s larder.  

Iain Baxter, Chief Executive at Scotland Food & Drink, said: “Showcasing Scotland is a unique commercial opportunity to put our nation’s very best food and drink businesses in front of some of the world’s most influential buyers.  

“The pitching process gives producers the opportunity to access new markets that might otherwise have been unreachable, and the tours for buyers allow us to tell the remarkable stories of our food and drink businesses.  

“Creating tangible and sustainable growth opportunities for the sector is an integral part of our recently launched industry strategy.

“As the largest global food and drink trade event in the country, Showcasing Scotland 2024 is not to be missed and I’d encourage Scottish producers that are export ready to sign-up.”  

Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, added: 

“The food and drink industry continues to go from strength to strength and contributes hugely to Scotland’s economy. 

“Our success is down to an abundance of high-quality natural ingredients as well as the dedication and passion shown by our producers in their respective crafts. “ 

“In 2019, Scottish companies made over £60 million of new sales as a result of the connections established at Showcasing Scotland.

“I hope that next year’s event offers fresh opportunities for producers and reinforces the reputation of Scotland as the home of some of the finest produce in the world.” 

Ewen Cameron, Global Head of Trade at Scottish Development International (SDI), said: “Events such as Showcasing Scotland are an opportunity to further promote the quality and provenance of our country’s food and drink sector to international buyers. 

“SDl is looking forward to working with Scotland Food and Drink and our partners across the public and private sectors to deliver Showcasing Scotland, opening up potential global trade opportunities for Scottish food and drink companies in the process.” 

Applications for suppliers are now open, with applications to be submitted by 20 October.

This is an invite only event for buyers, but those interested in attending can register interest online.

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Willows Animal Sanctuary in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire issued an appeal for information last month after their horse Cheyenne was subjected to a “disturbing” attack.

The 40-year-old horse – who had only one eye and few teeth – had been a long-term resident at the sanctuary when she was discovered by staff to have blood on her tail and external injuries,

Cheyenne was subsequently checked over by a vet, who confirmed that she had suffered multiple internal injuries – which staff believe was caused by something being inserted into the elderly pony.

Despite appearing to be slowly recovering from her sickening injuries, the sanctuary has since revealed that Cheyenne’s health took a turn for the worst again, ultimately deciding to put her to sleep.

Initially recovering thanks to antibiotics, painkillers and an IV fluid, Cheyenne’s health seemingly struggled to re-stabilise – with the sanctuary believing the person behind the assault was to blame.

In a heartbreaking update posted to social media on Friday, the sanctuary wrote: “We are very sad to announce that our beautiful girl Cheyenne has been put to sleep.

“Staff are now concerned for the safety of other animals in the sanctuary and are now searching to up their security to avoid a repeat

“Despite her recent improvements, she started to deteriorate earlier in the week and our vets tried everything possible to try and re-stabilise her fragile health but sadly, it just wasn’t possible to save her.

“She went very peacefully, in the sunshine surrounded by people who cared very much for her and we are all very glad that was able to have a calm and dignified end.

“Cheyenne was a very old pony and no one can live forever but we all feel very strongly that whoever committed this vile assault on her is most definitely to blame for her health deterioration.

“We are still worried for the safety of our other horses and once we know exactly what extra safety measures we are going to put into place, we will be putting a fundraiser together for this as we don’t ever want to see another one of our equines ever get hurt like this again.

“We are still awaiting quotes, but if anyone can recommend a company that might be able to help us, please PM the page.

“We are so humbled by the love and support that has been shown to Cheyenne over this very sad time and we will never be able to thank you all enough.

“She was an absolute treasure and we all feel very lucky to have known and been able to care for her for the past 20+ years.”

The post received over 3,200 likes and more than 590 comments from devastated locals who flooded to share their support for the farm.

Heather McMillan wrote: “Heartbreaking to read this. I prayed for her when I saw her posts. Beautiful old lady, loved until the very end.

“Bless you all for what you have done to give her the best life possible. Forever thankful.”

Allison Spink said: “I’m very sorry to read about the loss of Cheyenne. What happened to her was absolutely shocking and for it to be within the local area is even more shocking.

“RIP Cheyenne and condolences to all those who cared for her during her time at Willows.”

Julia Downer commented: “So sad to read this. Thanks to all you wonderful people who look after and love all these beautiful animals. She was loved very much.”

Wendy Eversfield-Davenport added: “So sad to hear this and I’m so sorry that she had to endure such a horrendous ordeal in [her] senior years.”

Police Scotland and Willows Animal Sanctuary and Animal Assisted Therapy Unit approached for comment.

The post Scots animal sanctuary left heartbroken after beloved horse dies weeks after “vile” assault appeared first on Deadline News.

Ellie Williams and partner Lloyd started their bumper project in April 2022 with the intention of converting both flats they purchased into one big house.

The couple’s mammoth task would see them knock down walls, recover antique features and install staircase but 16 months on and £32,000 later, they are celebrating finally completing two rooms.

In a recent video, the couple from South Wales revealed how they began the project after a struggle with the marketplace but managed to save up enough money after living with family and being child-free.

They added that the two flats came at a good price and included all the “non-negotiable tick boxes” – including a garden, parking spaces and being detached from other homes.

With the two properties being separate from one another, meaning no internal staircases and small rooms, the couple had their work cut out.

This included renovating the house after long working days, living in the flats as they renovated them and learning how to structurally build each component of the home.

Video shows Ellie and Lloyd standing outside one of the two flats as they pose for the camera.

Ellie can be heard narrating: “We are Ellie and Lloyd and we bought these first two flats as our first home in April 2022 to convert back into one house.”

The footage shows a first-person point of view as the viewers are taken through the house to see an untouched interior filled with wooden floors and bare rooms.

Ellie explains: “We knew it was going to be an absolutely massive project when we went to view it, but we knew that we wanted to take it on as well.”

“The main reason for this was [that] it ticked all of the boxes for our non-negotiables. It has a garden; it has parking and it’s detached.”

She adds: “A s you can see, there’s no internal staircase at all so the flats were completely separated.

“We decided to live here during the renovations because we thought that this was going to help us decide what we wanted to do with each space.”

Moving on to the renovations, the camera shows two men removing floorboards in one of the flats.

Ellie says: “Obviously, the first job that we wanted to do was to install an internal staircase, so we could actually connect the two flats together and not feel like they were separate dwellings.”

The clip shows work underway on integral parts of the flat before the couple install a sleek wooden staircase with glass panelling.

Ellie says: “So, we cut a hole in the bannister, ordered our staircase and this was the first job.”

The camera then shows Lloyd hammering a wall to reveal a brick fireplace.

Ellie then says: “After this, we did a lot of internal demolition, including finding this amazing fireplace behind the render, cleaning up and preparing for the rooms to be decorated.

The pair can then be seen hammering and working on the wall before the clip then cuts to show scaffolding hooked onto the two houses as roofers get to work.

Ellie continues: “Next up, we had the roof replaced. We added solar panels, skylights, steels for the loft and painted the exterior.”

The camera then shows Ellie and Lloyd holding hands as they smile at each other in the unfinished bathroom.

They jump and the shot then changes to a beautiful finished bathroom complete with marble walls, a porcelain bathtub, a large shower and plants potted around the fresh, modern room.

Ellie narrates: “So far, we’ve completed two rooms – our main bathroom and our spare bedroom.

“Our loft conversion master suite is well underway and the open plan kitchen-living-dining area is coming together slowly but surely.”

The camera then shows a wall decorated with posters, fresh green paint and a bed fitted with thick blankets and pillows.

The clip then shows the pair in the loft as they continue work on its skeletal structure.

Ellie then advises: “Knowing which order to do things in is honestly the hardest thing. Make sure you follow us to keep up with our progress.”

The duo took to social media on Monday to share the video, writing: “Our journey with converting these two flats into one house so far.”

The clip received over 94,200 likes and more than 270 comments from users left in awe at the large-scale project.

One user wrote: “Okay. This is so cute. Imagine being with the love of your life and finding the home of your dreams, then doing the renovations together. Goals.”

Another said: “Been following since the start. Love to see the progress.”

A third commented: “Finding that fireplace – best surprise ever.”

Another added: “This is a stunning transformation. Loads of inspiration too. Love it.”

A fifth wrote: “You already know the house is going to be amazing. I mean, look at the rooms.”

The post Savvy couple stun Brits with huge renovation project to convert two flats into one dream home appeared first on Deadline News.