18 Feb, 2026 | Admin | No Comments
Inside Austria’s Tratzberg Castle – where Count and Countess were plagued by ‘unsettling’ ghost stories
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18 Feb, 2026 | | No Comments
The best spring shoe trends to shop right now – from minimalistic basics to high vamps
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Right now, we’re all wishing for brighter days, warmer temperatures and the chance to wear footwear that doesn’t have to be all kinds of weather-proof. And while we love a new dress moment, it’s often the shoes that really set the tone for the season.
This spring, footwear is stepping into the spotlight with playful twists on classics, comfy styles that still look polished, and statement designs that make even the simplest outfit feel well-styled.
From sleek trainers you’ll want to wear on repeat, to loafers and heels that carry you effortlessly from office to evenings out, this season’s shoe trends strike the perfect balance between style and practicality. Whether you’re easing out of winter boots or planning for sunnier days, these are the spring shoe trends worth knowing and shopping for right now.
Laidback Loafers
Loafers continue their reign, but this season they’re softer, sleeker, and backless. From traditional styles to metallic finishes, they add a smart touch to everyday looks without feeling too formal. The slip-on trend also makes it brilliant to keep the feet cool on the warmer days.
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Back To Basics
Trainers will never go unappreciated, but for Spring 2026, they’re taking a laidback approach with minimal details and low-profile styles. Think clean lines, soft neutrals, and retro-inspired shapes that work with almost anything that you pair them with, especially denim. Effortless and easy.
Statement Makers
It’s time to brave the bold as fun is put back into heels for Spring, so get ready to step with confidence. From bright silhouettes and sculptural heels to glossy finishes and eye-catching details, these are the shoes designed to do all of the talking. Whether paired with laidback tailoring or floaty dresses, they instantly add impact and a fashion-forward feel.
Vamp Up Your Life
They started to become popular in Autumn 2025, and they’re sticking around for 2026. High-vamp heels are continuing to have their moment as they add a subtle twist to classics that make them feel ultra-modern. Think the likes of Victoria Beckham and Stella McCartney. Perfect for office days with tailored trousers, or elevating a sleek dress for weddings, these are a staple everyone needs in their wardrobes.
Western Winners
Another trend that is showing no signs of returning to the ranch any time soon, is the much-loved Western vibes. However, Western-inspired shoes are riding into spring with a softer, more wearable edge. Think classic cowboy boots in lighter shades, subtle stitching, pointed toes, and low, walkable heels that work beyond festival season. Styled with dresses, denim, or tailoring, they bring just the right amount of attitude and personality to spring outfits.
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We were diagnosed with cancer on the same day — only one of us survived
In summer 2023, Stevie Wise was given a devastating diagnosis — a suspected cyst in her breast, was actually cancer.
But when she called her mum, Belinda, there was yet more shocking news.
The 63-year-old had also gone to the hospital that day, and she had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer.
The pair had received their diagnoses on the same day, within just hours of each other.
Stevie, 40, said: ‘It all happened in one day back in summer 2023.
‘I was told that what I thought was a cyst was actually cancer. Then I called my mum and her tests had revealed the full extent of her diagnosis.
‘I didn’t cry. I just thought, right, what’s the plan?’
Education consultant Stevie almost skipped her own hospital appointment to be with her mum.
Stevie said: ‘Mum had been in pain for a long time and kept falling over. But she’d hidden it from everyone.’
Still, Stevie’s gut instinct told her to go to her own appointment — a decision that would ultimately save her life.
Scans revealed two tumours and visible swelling under Stevie’s arm.
Doctors confirmed she had grade three breast cancer, which had already spread to her lymph nodes.
Rather than share the news with her mum, Steve kept it a secret, initially telling Belinda that everything was okay.
While Stevie says she immediately focused on treatment, her mum struggled to even talk about what was happening.
‘By the time she was diagnosed, it was too advanced,’ says Stevie.
‘When she didn’t respond to treatment, we all knew she was dying, but she wouldn’t talk about it. She was terrified.’
The family underwent a brutal year.
Stevie endured a mastectomy, reconstruction, chemotherapy and radiotherapy while Belinda’s condition continued to worsen.
Stevie said: ‘It was a really awful and stressful time. My surgery wounds kept opening, and my mum was really poorly.’
While the pair wanted to be there for each other, and help with each others’ care, they were sadly kept apart as they received treatment at different hospitals.
How to check for signs of breast cancer
CoppaFeel! offers these simple steps on how to check your own chest for signs of cancer.
Look
- Look at your boobs, pecs or chest.
- Look at the area from your armpit, across and beneath your boobs, pecs or chest, and up to your collarbone.
Be aware of any changes in size, outline or shape and changes in skin such as puckering or dimpling.
Feel
- Feel each of your boobs, pecs or chest.
- Feel the area from your armpit, across and beneath your boobs, pecs or chest, and up to your collarbone.
Be aware of any changes in skin such as puckering or dimpling, or any lumps, bumps or skin thickening which are different from the opposite side.
Notice your nipples
- Look at each of your nipples.
Be aware of any nipple discharge that’s not milky, any bleeding from the nipple, any rash or crusting on or around your nipple area that doesn’t heal easily and any change in the position of your nipple
Belinda had chemotherapy in Blackpool, while Stevie underwent surgery in Manchester, before swapping with Belinda having surgery while her daughter had chemotherapy.
Tragically, just as Stevie had cause to celebrate, her mum continued to deteriorate. She kept vigil by her mum’s beside until she took her last breath. Belinda passed away in August 2024, aged just 63.
‘My friends carried me through it,’ Stevie said.
‘They took it in turns to stay with me, look after me and help me recover.’
It was shortly after her mum’s death when, still grieving, Stevie was given more life-changing news.
She said: ‘I was told there was no trace of my cancer left.
‘But I didn’t ring the bell. It just didn’t feel like the right time.’
Instead, Stevie waited, and celebrated by throwing a party for her 40th birthday earlier this month.
She added: ‘It felt like I was owed a celebration. Aging is a privilege. I’m so happy to be alive.’
Stevie is still undergoing treatment, taking targeted therapy drug abemaciclib as well as hormone therapy drug tamoxifen.
Now, she is urging people to sign up for Cancer Research’s Race for Life, and help fund future breakthroughs.
Now, although treatment has left her with lasting fatigue and mobility issues, Stevie says she enjoys swimming and walking her dog at her own pace.
Race for Life events are taking place across the UK this year, with 3k, 5k and 10k events as well as the muddy obstacle course Pretty Muddy.
Hundreds of thousands are expected to take part.
‘That’s what this is about, all of us, together, all in against cancer,’ says Stevie.
Cancer Research UK spokesperson Jemma Humphreys adds: ‘Sadly nearly 1 in 2 of us will get cancer in our lifetime, but all of us can support the research that will beat it.
#Race for Life powers progress and it relies on a whole community of people coming together, united by a common purpose to beat cancer.
To sign up, visit the Race For Life website.
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
17 Feb, 2026 | Admin | No Comments
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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s special treatment from Queen Elizabeth he won’t forget at Sandringham home
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Exclusive: Jade Jagger discusses ‘unconventional’ childhood with Mick Jagger – and why she’s leaving Cotswolds manor house
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I didn’t sleep for eight days straight — this is what it did to me
A Londoner has revealed what happened when he went eight days straight without sleep, describing how he ‘left planet earth’ and ‘had no sense of what reality was’.
Tommy Graves, from Bermondsey, was fundraising for a charity in 2021 when his stress spiralled into an extreme case of insomnia, leading to a manic episode with psychosis.
On day six with no sleep, the 27-year-old was admitted to a mental health hospital, where staff prescribed therapy and medication to help him get some much-needed rest.
But Tommy didn’t believe doctors and nurses were trying to help him. Instead, he was convinced they were all actors starring in a Truman Show-like reality programme, filming him for an audience at home.
‘I was hearing and thinking and seeing things that were not real,’ the former events manager and DJ recalls.
Tommy’s week without sleep started when he was working on a livestreaming project with a local homeless charity, co-ordinating with musicians, actors and performers.
‘I just got really excited about it and worked tirelessly on it. The more I worked on it the more stressed I became, the more ideas came into my head and the harder I found it to sleep,’ Tommy, now 32, says.
‘I couldn’t get to sleep at all as much as I tried because my brain wouldn’t switch off. As the days went on the ideas got more and more extreme, elaborate, some people would say delusional.
‘By day six of not sleeping the idea had gone from raising £100 to raising £66million.’
Tommy ended up in hospital after his family realised something was wrong and sought medical help. An ambulance was arranged to take him to the inpatient facility.
‘I was extremely coherent but I was not making sense,’ he remembers. ‘I had a plan to end racism, end sexism, end wars, cure cancer, all of these amazing things.
‘By this point I didn’t even know where I was. I thought I was in a television studio, like The Truman Show.
‘One of the nurses told me I would get an Oscar if I carried on like this. Most people would have seen that as sarcasm but I thought I’d love to get an Oscar.’
This is how sleep deprivation impacts your body
Dr Sue Peacock, a consultant health psychologist and sleep expert, previously told Metro that sleep deprivation has knock-on impacts on both physical and mental health.
Potential effects include a weakened immune system, increased anxiety, menstrual irregularities and weight gain.
‘Research suggests people are at greater risk of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, stroke and heart attack,’ she added.
‘There’s also an increased risk of diabetes and other chronic conditions.’
Not only that, but a lack of sleep is also associated with memory and cognitive impairment – it even increases your risk of Alzheimer’s.
If extreme, sleep deprivation can lead to an accute mental health problems, such as the episode experienced by Tommy.
Tommy sang, danced and did cartwheels in front of the ‘cameras’ in hospital, until he was finally able to sleep with medication.
It took four full weeks to physically recover – with the impact on Tommy’s life lasting far longer.
‘When I was discharged, I felt so sad. My life had just been blown to bits. I was incredibly embarrassed,’ he says. ‘My doctor said I needed to learn how to sleep or I could risk losing my sense of reality again.
‘What I experienced was a manic episode with psychosis caused by stress and sleep deprivation. I was in the highest level of care you can get. I never thought that could happen to me. That was enough to scare me into picking up a book and figuring out how to sleep well.’
Tommy spent the next few years learning all he could about sleep, before deciding to change careers and become a qualified sleep coach in April 2025.
Around one in three people suffer from insomnia in the UK and Tommy believes our culture is largely to blame.
‘The experience I had of being a lad living in the UK, it is the norm for weekends to be dedicated to late nights and for weekdays to be more early mornings,’ he says.
‘You end up in this vicious cycle of exhaustion – you’re trying to get over the late nights from the weekend and you go into a week of early mornings, and then it’s back to the late nights again.’
Tommy has now broken free from that cycle and wants to help more young professionals to feel rested.
He no longer goes out late at weekends and instead has a set ‘bed time’ and ‘wake up’ time he tries to stick to.
He also recommends not looking at any blue light from phones or devices at least 90 minutes before bed, nothing taxing on the brain for an hours before bed and avoid food for three hours before sleep.
‘I’m on a mission to make it cool to have a bed time. I’ll go out at midday and stay out until 9pm. Might as well make the most of the day,’ he says. ‘It’s not about having less fun, it’s about doing it at a time that doesn’t make you exhausted.
‘I want to spread awareness that sleep is connected to every main mental health condition, either making symptoms worse or being a key driver in the problem existing in the first place.’
Tommy's top tips for better sleep are:
Having a consistent bed time
Having a consistent wake time and avoiding lie-ins
Avoiding bright light from overhead lights and blue light from phones / devices within 90 minutes of going to sleep
Don’t do anything that’s demanding of you within one hour of going to bed, physically or mentally.
Avoid eating food within three hours before going to bed: ‘It tells your body it’s daytime and raises your heart rate and core temperature and that makes it harder to get to sleep. It’s a lot less relaxing if your body is digesting food at the same time as sleeping, it doesn’t do a good job of either.’
Have no more than 400mg of coffee a day and don’t drink any within 8 hours of bedtime.
17 Feb, 2026 | | No Comments
Queen Elizabeth II’s secret rule-break went unnoticed at crowded state banquets
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