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My dad was sure I was kidding when I told him I’d won £180,000 on the EuroMillions – even I still can’t believe it

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My dad was sure I was kidding when I told him I'd won £180,000 on the EuroMillions - even I still can't believe it

A SCHOOL caretaker’s dad was sure his son was kidding when he revealed he had won £180,000 on EuroMillions.

John McDowell, 53, from Bathgate, Scotland, still can’t believe his luck after striking big in the lottery.

John McDowell won £183,257 on EuroMillions

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John McDowell won £183,257 on EuroMillionsCredit: Alan Peebles
John said the win was 'surreal'

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John said the win was ‘surreal’Credit: Alan Peebles
John made himself a cup of tea after he realised he won

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John made himself a cup of tea after he realised he wonCredit: PA

The father-of-three won £183,257.40 on September 6 and is now set to change his life after the “surreal” win.

“On the night I won, I was just about to go to bed and had a quick look at my phone and saw an email from The National Lottery.

“I was going to ignore it as I thought it would be nothing, but curiosity got the better of me and I had a look and realised it said I had matched five main numbers and one Lucky Star.

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“Everyone in the house was in bed so I made myself a cup of tea before telling anyone – I then woke my dad up to tell him and he didn’t understand at first – he thought I was joking.

“It’s so surreal, I still can’t believe it.”

He’s going to take his brother overseas for the first time to spend a hot Christmas in Africa.

John said: “I can’t wait to treat my family – my brother has never been abroad before so the first thing I wanted to do was book a holiday somewhere hot and sunny for us both.

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“I asked him whether he fancied spending Christmas in Egypt as it would be nice to spend some time swapping the cold Scottish weather for somewhere warm at that time of year.

“He agreed, so I told him to get a passport ordered. It will be a really special holiday.”

John is now also hoping to retire before he turns 60: “I absolutely love my job but winning this money will mean I get to retire that little bit earlier and put my feet up sooner.”

I won $1m at 28 playing a lottery scratch-off – I swore I wouldn’t be a statistic & after 8 years I have nothing left-

If there’s any cash left over, John will also use his winnings to help his daughters get on the property ladder.

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“I would also like to help my daughters plan for their futures, so I’ll now also be able to help them to get on the property ladder when the time’s right.”

And he’s planning to splash out on a new car, and to get his mother a new kitchen after winning

“I have been wanting to get myself a new car for a while, but I’ve been putting it off, but I’ll definitely be shopping for one soon.

“I like to travel up north to get away from it all, so I’d love to get an SUV-style car – maybe a Kia Sportage – to help me explore.”

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He matched the five main numbers and one Lucky Star number in the EuroMillions draw on September 6.

The winning numbers from that draw were 12, 14, 34, 41, 47 and the Lucky Star numbers were 3 and 4.

John splashed champagne after the big win

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John splashed champagne after the big winCredit: Alan Peebles

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Get two tickets to The Dungeons, and save up to £53

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Russian ship packed with 20,000 tons of explosives spotted off UK coast days after it was refused entry in Norway

JUST in time for Halloween you can get two tickets to The Dungeons and save up to £53, thanks to Sun Superdays! Take your pick from London, Blackpool, York or Edinburgh Dungeons.

The Dungeons are a group of thrilling attractions. Scream and laugh your way through an immersive journey through a city’s darkest past.

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Bringing together an amazing cast of theatrical actors, special effects, stages, scenes and thrilling rides.

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Each showcasing hysterically horrible history across a series of immersive shows, including the Torturer, sinister witch trials and up to 11 other spine-chilling shows.

The London Dungeon
Featuring 1000 years of London’s perilous past, come face-to-face with the Plague Doctor, Mrs Lovett, Sweeny Todd and much more across 13 immersive shows.

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The York Dungeon
Walk through ten actor-led live shows, telling the story of 2000 years of York’s dark history. Meet famous characters from York’s chilling past including Isabelle Billington and the Vikings. But will you survive the witch in the York Castle Dungeon? The scariest show in Dungeon history.

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The Blackpool Tower Dungeon
And so your journey begins, descend into the heart of the Blackpool Tower Dungeon and scream and laugh your way through the darkest times from Lancashire’s past. Discover the grueling history of Meg Shelton, the infamous witch of Woodplumpton, step into the eerie darkness of the chapel at Lytham Priory and hear the monk tell tales of the history of the Fyle Coast and much more.

The Edinburgh Dungeon
With eight chilling shows and a sinister drop ride, the Edinburgh Dungeon is the ultimate underground journey through Edinburgh’s darkest history… Will you survive Edinburgh’s serial killers, Burke & Hare? They would kill for a body like yours.

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Get the UK’s lowest price guaranteed and pick your perfect day with over 28,000 weekend and holiday tickets available exclusively for Sun readers.

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To do this, we have introduced a ticket price to allow you to get the dates you really want, but we promise that with our price guarantee you will not find cheaper tickets anywhere else!

And we still have thousands of NO COST tickets available, saving you up to £53, but these will be limited to quieter days.

How do I book my tickets to The Dungeons?

1. It’s so easy! All you need to do is download the free Sun Savers app or sign up at sunsavers.co.uk.

2. Next pick up The Sun newspaper and collect FIVE out of 13 Sun Savers codes. We will print one Sun Savers code daily in the newspaper from Saturday, October 5 to Thursday, October 17.

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3.Once you have collected FIVE Sun Savers codes, scan or enter them on the Sun Savers app or website to unlock booking. Booking will open at 11:00am on Wednesday, October 9.

4.Once you hit Book, a unique booking code will appear on the Sun Savers app or website. Copy your unique booking code and click the book button again, this will direct you to the Sun Superdays The Dungeons website where you can book your tickets. You must claim your unique code by Wednesday, October 30. And book your tickets by midnight on Wednesday, November 20, 2024.

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What is Sun Savers?

Sun Savers is our amazing rewards club and home of Britain’s brightest competitions, offers and exclusive deals – as well as saving you hundreds of pounds a year.

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Your Sun Savers codes are also your entries into the fantastic Sun Raffle, where 250 readers will win £100 cash every month!

NEW FOR 2024 – Book with The Sun Digital Newspaper

The Sun Digital Newspaper

The Sun Digital Newspaper edition gives you every page of The Sun newspaper, as printed including supplements, magazines and puzzles direct to your device every day for just £6.99 per month or £54.99 annually.

And now it includes access to all our great Sun Superdays offers, without the need to collect any Sun Savers codes. Head to thesun.co.uk/newspaper to find out more and subscribe.

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18+ Terms & Conditions apply, see thesun.co.uk/newspaper.

Terms and Conditions:

18+ UK only (exc. IoM & CI). Multiple code collect 05/10/24-17/10/24. 2 tickets per household, all bookings to be made in pairs. Non-transferable & non refundable. Subject to availability, daily allocation limits apply (53,410 total tickets available, incl. 7,100 no cost tickets, remaining tickets from £5 (based on an adult ticket to The Blackpool Tower Dungeon) – £25 per ticket). Online access required. Saving against advanced adult online prices and varies per date. Dates and periods are subject to change without notice until 31/03/25. Saving correct at time of send. The Dungeon experience varies across locations. Savings, pricing and allocation vary by attraction. For full T&Cs see sunsavers.co.uk.

The Dungeons may not be suitable for people of a nervous disposition. Recommended child age is 12+ and under 5’s are not permitted

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Exact age Brits spend the most on pets as bills rise to £936-a-year for essentials

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Exact age Brits spend the most on pets as bills rise to £936-a-year for essentials

GEN Z and millennial pet owners are spending the most on their four-legged friends – splashing out £936 on all the essentials each year.

A study of 2,000 cat and dog owners found those aged between 18 and 34 spend £78 each month on their furry companions – well above the national average of £64.

45 percent of people don't regularly vaccinate their pets

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45 percent of people don’t regularly vaccinate their petsCredit: SWNS

While older pet owners aged 45 and over are much more frugal – forking out just £52 every month, and £623 over the course of a year.

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Toys (17 per cent) are among the biggest expenses for young pet owners – compared to just eight per cent of their older counterparts.

But overall, 47 per cent of all owners want their pets to enjoy their meals and are willing to pay for it – with two thirds of pet spend going on food.

The research was commissioned by Pet Drugs Online to mark the launch of The Top to Tail Report.

Dr Sarah Page-Jones, the retailers’ lead veterinary surgeon, said: “What your pet eats can have a huge impact on their health and wellbeing.

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“For example, cats are obligate carnivores, so they can’t get all the nutrients they require from plant-based foods.

“It’s also important to consider your pet’s age, breed and activity levels to allow you to tailor their nutrition to their needs.

“Giving your pet both wet and dry food helps to provide good levels of flavour, nutrition and hydration.”

It also emerged that play (68 per cent), treats (67 per cent) and talking to their pets (67 per cent) are the top ways owners show affection.

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And 19 per cent take their dogs on holiday with them.

But while owners were keen to ensure their pets’ happiness, medical treatments were lower on the list of priorities – with 48 per cent admitting they don’t regularly take their pet for check-ups at the vet.

Four in 10 (39 per cent) aren’t frequently treating for fleas, 45 per cent won’t regularly worm their pet, and 58 per cent aren’t providing tick treatment.

And 45 per cent don’t routinely vaccinate their four-legged friends.

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Although interest in holistic health treatments is on the rise – with 26 per cent of those polled, via OnePoll, opting for these to better support their pet’s wellbeing.

While the same percentage (26 per cent) also give them supplements.

Dr Sarah Page-Jones added: “Taking your pet to the vet at least once a year can provide a wealth of benefits.

“It allows your pet to receive a general health assessment where any subtle changes may be noticed, ensures you’re up to date with the latest vaccinations, as well as discussing any additional care that may be needed.

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“Also, if you’re exploring a holistic approach to your pet’s health, it’s always worth discussing with your vet first hand.”

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Major supermarket launches new way to get big food discounts at 1,000 branches

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Major supermarket launches new way to get big food discounts at 1,000 branches

SAVVY shoppers at one major supermarket can now bag a huge range of new food discounts at nearly 1,000 of its UK stores.

Asda has partnered with food waste platform Too Good To Go to offer its customers “surprise bags” which contain £9 worth of food for just £3.30.

Asda shoppers will be able to pick up a bag at nearly 1,000 shops across the UK

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Asda shoppers will be able to pick up a bag at nearly 1,000 shops across the UKCredit: Alamy

The bags will include a variety of different items which are near their use-by date, such as salads, ready meals, baked goods and food to go.

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Although the items are near their expiry date they are still safe to eat and would otherwise go to waste.

Customers will be able to purchase a bag at nearly 1,000 sites including Asda Express stores.

They can also be picked up at restaurants located inside Asda stores such as Leon, Greggs, Sbarro and Subway.

read more on supermarkets

Bags from Asda Express, Greggs, Sbarro and Subway will vary in price depending on the contents but they could include breakfast food, lunch, cakes or pastries.

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Leon fans will also be able to get their hands on a brand-new Surprise Bag offer which will feature cakes and pastries which would otherwise be wasted.

For £3.50 customers can get over £10.50 worth of treats that would otherwise have been thrown away.

To cash in on the deal shoppers will need to search for a nearby Asda supermarket or Asda Express store in the free Too Good To Go app.

Shoppers can also choose when they want to pick up their bag.

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Sophie Trueman, country director at Too Good To Go UK and Ireland, said: “We’re so pleased to be extending our partnership with Asda, helping to combat food waste and provide great value to customers. 

“We believe that saving food from going to waste is a win-win-win – businesses can recover the sunk cost of would-be wasted food, consumers can get good food for less, and with one simple action, we’re collectively doing something great for the planet by stopping that food from ending up in landfill.”

Four simple ways to save money at Asda

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How does Too Good To Go work?

To use Too Good To Go you need to download its app on your smartphone and create an account.

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You can then choose your area by entering your location and drop a pin on where you will pick up your surplus food bags.

There is an option to collect your food straight away or later for dinner.

You can also select the distance you are willing to travel based on whether you will be using public transport, walking or driving.

How to save on your supermarket shop

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THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.

You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they’ve been reduced.

If the food is fresh, you’ll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.

Making a list should also save you money, as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.

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Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.

This means ditching “finest” or “luxury” products and instead going for “own” or value” type of lines.

Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they’re misshapen or imperfect.

For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.

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If you’re on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.

Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.

The app will then show you all the Too Good To Go locations in your area.

These are broken down into categories including supermarkets, baked goods and groceries.

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You can scroll through the app to see what’s available and click “see all” to check the options in each category.

The app will tell you how much you can save with each surprise bag.

Prices usually range between £2 and £6 depending on the contents of the bag and shoppers usually save at least 30% on every order.

Once you have decided on what food you want to pick up you simply click on the “reserve” button which will ensure that it is assigned to you.

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If you have added your payment method then you can simply click to confirm your reservation.

If you have not entered this information then you will be asked for your bank details when you place a reservation.

Once you have paid you will receive an email which will include an invoice and the time of your collection.

To pick up your food go to the shop at the assigned time and show your collection on the app to a member of staff.

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Asda is not the only supermarket to be available on Too Good to Go.

Aldi customers can nab a surprise bag at one of the supermarket’s 990 stores across the UK.

The bags contain £10 worth of food for just £3.30 and can be reserved almost 24 hours before collection.

You could get anything from fruit and veg, dairy products, meat and snacks for a fraction of the normal price.

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Meanwhile, Morrisons shoppers can buy a surprise bag from one of the supermarket’s 930 convenience stores.

The bags cost £3.09 and contain fresh produce and bakery items.

Other schemes to avoid food waste

Another scheme which gives you free or discounted supermarket food is Olio.

The app lists food from shoppers and supermarkets including Tesco and Waitrose which can be picked up by for free.

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Often this food is unwanted or near its sell-by date.

To get started simply download the Olio app and enter your postcode to find free food available near you.

Yellow stickers are another great way to shave precious pounds off the cost of your supermarket shop.

Shops including M&S, Tesco and Morrisons apply yellow stickers to food items that are nearing their best-before date.

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These can include sandwiches, baked goods and ready meals.

The stickers are applied by some supermarkets at set times while others will introduce them throughout the day.

Read our article to find out the exact time to find yellow sticker bargains at each supermarket.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

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Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

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Big changes to McDonald’s menu coming in October including new breakfast item

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Big changes to McDonald's menu coming in October including new breakfast item

BIG CHANGES are coming to McDonald’s menu this October much to the delight of fast-food lovers.

The home of the Golden Arches is switching up its menu as we head into the autumn months.

Big changes are coming to the McDonald's menu this October

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Big changes are coming to the McDonald’s menu this OctoberCredit: Credit: Pen News

It is not uncommon for the Big Mac maker to shake up what is sold across its over 1,400 stores to make way for new items.

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As many fans will already know, September saw the return of McDonald’s popular Monopoly game.

To celebrate the launch the franchise added six new items to the menu, including a never-before-seen Twix Latte.

The sticker-collecting contest, which is based on the popular board game, will come to a halt on 11:59pm on October 16.

And that means the latte alongside other seasonal food items will also be axed.

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While this may be a disappointment to some customers, it is also worth bearing in mind that this could be when new menu items make an appearance.

We already know that one new item is coming to stores then, but diners are still in the dark about what else could be resurfacing.

What’s coming to McDonald’s in October?

McDonald’s has confirmed an all-new breakfast item is set to arrive in stores this October.

From Ocotber 16, the fast-food chain will start selling mini hashbrowns across its stores.

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The potato bites will come in either a portion of five for £1.49 or 15 for £2.29.

Maccies already sells regular-sized hashbrowns for £1.19.

Many customers have said the product reminds them of Tater Tots, which are a popular side dish in America.

Commenting on a social media post one user said: “Looks like Tater Tots to me.”

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“Otherwise known as a Tater Tot,” said another.

It is still unclear whether or not the morning snack will become a permanent menu item or will only be available for a limited period.

All you need to know about McDonald’s

HERE’S all the crucial information about McDonald’s you’ve always wanted to know…

Talk of a menu shake-up comes just weeks after Maccies hinted the McRib could once again land in stores.

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A test notification for the boneless pork burger was sent out on the McDonald’s rewards app.

When asked if the McRib is coming back, a spokesperson said: “McDonald’s is always looking to innovate with new and exciting menu items, as well as bringing back the fan favourites.

“If you’re keen to be the first to receive more info from McDonald’s stay tuned.”

The McRib was first added to the main UK McDonald’s menu in 1981 but was taken off just four years later.

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It has made sporadic returns since.

What’s out?

Customers will have to wave goodbye to six menu items this coming October. These include:

  • Philly Cheese Stack
  • Chicken Big Mac
  • Mozzarella Dippers
  • Galaxy Chocolate McFlurry
  • Twix Caramel McFlurry
  • Twix Latte

The items were rolled out across stores on September 4, in conjunction with the return of McDonald’s Monopoly.

But when the game ends during the first week in October, these items will also be removed.

There are still around two weeks left to play the game, which allows participants to peel stickers that represent train stations or colour-coordinated streets. 

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If you are curious about how the game works and what prizes you can win, read our article here. 

It is worth bearing in mind that McDonald’s regularly updates its menu,  so it is always worth reading updates online to avoid missing out.

How to save at McDonald’s

You could end up being charged more for a McDonald’s meal based solely on the McDonald’s restaurant you choose.

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Research by The Sun found a Big Mac meal can be up to 30% cheaper at restaurants just two miles apart from each other.

You can pick up a Big Mac and fries for just £2.99 at any time by filling in a feedback survey found on McDonald’s receipts.

The receipt should come with a 12-digit code which you can enter into the Food for Thought website alongside your submitted survey.

You’ll then receive a five-digit code which is your voucher for the £2.99 offer.

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There are some deals and offers you can only get if you have the My McDonald’s app, so it’s worth signing up to get money off your meals.

The MyMcDonald’s app can be downloaded on iPhone and Android phones and is quick to set up.

You can also bag freebies and discounts on your birthday if you’re a My McDonald’s app user.

The chain has recently sent out reminders to app users to fill out their birthday details – otherwise they could miss out on birthday treats.

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I discovered dusty prints hidden in my garage for 50 years… they turned out to be worth £20k because of who made them – The Sun

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I discovered dusty prints hidden in my garage for 50 years… they turned out to be worth £20k because of who made them – The Sun

A COLLECTION of Salvador Dalí prints which spent 50 years gathering dust in a garage before being found during a clear-out have sold at auction for almost £20,000.

The 11 forgotten lithographs by the renowned Spanish surrealist were found at a house in Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London.

Chris Kirkham, associate director of Hansons Richmond, London, with one of the Dali lithographs which sold for £1,300

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Chris Kirkham, associate director of Hansons Richmond, London, with one of the Dali lithographs which sold for £1,300Credit: SWNS
A signed Salvador Dali limited edition lithograph sold for £1,300

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A signed Salvador Dali limited edition lithograph sold for £1,300Credit: SWNS
Another Salvador Dali colour lithograph limited, signed in pencil, which sold for £3,100

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Another Salvador Dali colour lithograph limited, signed in pencil, which sold for £3,100Credit: SWNS
Signed Salvador Dali limited edition lithograph sold for £4,900

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Signed Salvador Dali limited edition lithograph sold for £4,900Credit: SWNS

They had been bought for £500 from an art gallery at a closing-down sale during the 1970s before spending decades sitting in a garage.

The “treasure trove” of artwork was found recently after the seller had a clear-out while preparing to move abroad.

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The collection was tipped to fetch £5,000 when it went under the hammer today at Hansons Richmond in London but smashed its estimate and sold for a whopping £19,750.

A limited-edition abstract colour lithograph of nude figures which Dalí signed in pencil was the most sought-after piece and sold for £4,900.

Another signed limited-edition lithograph featuring a woman in a yellow dress fetched £3,100 and all but one of the lots surpassed £1,000.

Chris Kirkham, associate director of London’s Hansons Richmond, said: “It was an amazing find.

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“It sparked phenomenal interest from all over the world – and phenomenal results.

“The lithographs were sold to bidders from the UK, Europe and the USA.

“We’re delighted for the people lucky enough to secure them and our client.

Chris revealed that he stumbled across the discovery after his client invited him to “assess some antiques at the vendor’s home in Mayfair”.

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“During the visit, he took me to his garage and, lo and behold, out came this treasure trove of surrealist lithographs,” he added.

“They’d been tucked away and forgotten about for around 50 years. It felt quite surreal.

“You never know what you’re going to uncover on a routine home visit.”

“The buyer paid a modest £500 for the lithographs, all unframed, in a closing down sale at a central London gallery in the 1970s.”

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‘PASSION FOR DALI’

The lucky client had intended to hang the pieces in his Berkeley Square home but never got around to doing so, according to Chris.

The associate director added: “They were rediscovered because the seller was having a clearout.

“He’s looking to retire and move abroad, so his lithographs finally saw the light of day at auction.

News of the rediscovered lithographs spread across the globe, with several media outlets covering the story.

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Chris claimed that the international media buzz reflected an underlying “passion for Dalí”.

He added: “We originally anticipated the collection would make £5,000 but it quadrupled that.

“The same sale saw £3,600 achieved against a guide of £1,200-£1,800 for a limited edition (374/1,500) Dalí bronze figure entitled The Surrealist Angel.”

Catalonia-born surrealist Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) received his formal education in fine arts in Madrid.

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He became increasingly attracted to avant-garde movements and joined the Surrealist group in 1929, soon becoming a leading exponent.

One of the most prolific artists of the 20th century, he’s renowned for his technical skill and bizarre images.

Influenced by Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró and Sigmund Freud, his repertoire included paintings, sculpture, film, graphic art, animation, fashion and photography.

It comes after a boy, who was just 11 at the time, found a cool picture while playing at a rubbish tip – now he’s selling it and it could fetch £20,000.

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And this Chinese vase from the 15th century fetched £9million at auction.

Dali's lithographs sold for a whopping £19,750 at an auction

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Dali’s lithographs sold for a whopping £19,750 at an auctionCredit: SWNS
They had been left in a garage collecting dust for a staggering 50 years

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They had been left in a garage collecting dust for a staggering 50 yearsCredit: SWNS
Dali's signature in pencil on one of the lithographs

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Dali’s signature in pencil on one of the lithographsCredit: SWNS

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Massive change to eBay selling fees could save you serious cash – how does it compare to Depop and Vinted?

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Massive change to eBay selling fees could save you serious cash - how does it compare to Depop and Vinted?

SELLERS on eBay will be able to take home more cash from each sale thanks to a huge shake up of charges.

Fees are changing from today, October 1, meaning those who sell secondhand items including CDs, books, toys and furniture will not be charged anything.

Huge changes to eBay selling fees come into force today

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Huge changes to eBay selling fees come into force todayCredit: Getty

Buying and selling items on the auction website will be free across all categories except motor listings including the sale of cars, motorcycles and vehicles.

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Before the change private sellers had to pay an enormous fees of 13.22 per cent when selling items on eBay.

These included a 12.8% “final value” fee plus 30p per order and 0.42% “regulatory operating” fee.

For a seller listing a chest of drawers worth £20 the change would save them £2.94 in fees.

They will now take home the full £20 instead of the previous £17.06.

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For items worth just one or two pounds the fee changes could have an even greater impact.

This is because previously there was a fixed 30p element to how the final value fee was calculated.

On a £3 transaction this would be equal to 10% of the seller’s total profit, without including the other elements of the fees.

The news comes just months after eBay slashed fees to sell secondhand clothes on its website in a bid to compete with other platforms including Vinted and Depop.

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Meanwhile, in August the secondhand website also stopped accepting American Express credit cards as a payment method.

Kirsty Keoghan, general manager of eBay UK, said: “eBay is constantly improving the marketplace experience in order to deliver on what our customers want. 

“Removing selling fees across categories is designed to give buyers access to greater breadth and depth of inventory, while creating a simplified and streamlined experience for sellers.”

eBay is also set to bring in several new features for sellers.

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Users will be able to list items across categories within minutes with the help of AI-generated descriptions and photo enhancing tools.

The secondhand website is also launching Simple Delivery, which will offer sellers tracked and fully covered delivery.

This will be prepaid by the buyer and will be at competitive rates, although the prices have not yet been confirmed.

Starting from mid-October the eBay Balance feature will allow sellers to use their earnings to shop on eBay, promote their listings, purchase delivery labels or withdraw funds.

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This is similar to Vinted’s “wallet” feature.

Top tips for selling on eBay

NEW to eBay? It’s head of secondhand, Emma Grant, reveals how to optimise your listings:

  1. Use key words – eBay automatically filters listing titles for key words, so it’s crucial to use the terminology people search for – especially brand and product names.  
  2. Choose the right category for your product – It might sound obvious but it’s important to always choose the most specific category to sell in.
  3. Pictures are important – Most users will not bid on items they cannot see. For best results, take photos in natural light against a neutral background and be honest about any scratches or damage to the item.  
  4. Be as detailed as possible – Be honest about the condition of the product and be sure to note any wear and tear.
  5. Look at past sold items–  eBay has a function that allows you to search for the item you want to sell and then filter the results by sold items. Here, you can view the price the item has sold for and get insight into how others have listed it.  
  6. Selling Sundays – Get the timing right. The busiest time for buyers is Sunday evenings, so schedule your listings to end around that time. Opt for seven-day auctions to ensure the max number of bids. The longer your item is listed, the more chance of people seeing it, so unless it’s time-sensitive, pick seven days.  December is the busiest month on eBay.
  7. Be realistic with pricing – Try searching for similar items on eBay, to make sure you’re going for the right price and always ask yourself “would I pay this price for this item?”
  8. Donate to charity – When listing your item, consider donating a percentage of the sale to a cause of your choice – from 10% to 100% – you can donate the funds raised from your item straight from the platform. 

The secondhand website hopes that these new features will make it easier than ever to sell unwanted items.

What do the changes mean for sellers?

Changes to seller fees that had already been announced by eBay come into force today.

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Previously private sellers could list up to 1,000 items a month for free on eBay but from today this falls to 300.

After you’ve used your monthly allocation of 300 free listings you will be charged 35p for each additional listing created.

This will not be a problem for most sellers but could have a big impact on small businesses.

Meanwhile, the international fee will increase to 3% for all delivery addresses outside the UK.

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What do other companies charge?

There are no fees to sell items on Depop after the platform removed the 10% charge on the total transaction cost earlier this year.

But there is still a payment processing fee which is 2.9% of the total transaction amount + 30p, which includes shipping costs and taxes.

In addition, buyers in the UK must pay a marketplace fee which is up to 5% of the purchase price plus a fixed amount of up to £1.

Money from the marketplace fee will go towards investing in Depop Protection, customer support, platform improvements and growing the community.

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In comparison, there are no fees to list or sell an item on Vinted.

Instead, buyers are charged a protection fee, which varies depending on the price of the order.

For orders including bundles which cost less than £500 buyers are charged a fixed amount of between 30p and 80p.

They are also charged a variable amount of 3% to 8% of the purchase price agreed between the buyer and seller, regardless of postage cost.

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For orders and bundles sold for £500 or more buyers are charged 3% of the item’s price, including the VAT applied to its price.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

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