Squirrels can wreak havoc in gardens, causing significant damage to plants and bird feeders — but a pest control expert says there’s one natural squirrel deterrent they cannot tolerate

Despite looking cute and harmless, squirrels are technically wild animals – and they can wreak havoc on your garden. They can damage trees, eat flower buds, bulbs, fruits and vegetables, and disturb bird feeders.

Since wild animals tend to stay wherever food is available, the obvious answer would be to strip away all nuts, fruits, vegetables, fungi and insects. However, this isn’t possible in many gardens, so homeowners have to take matters into their own hands.

This is because squirrels can also damage property as well as gardens. They can nibble through wires and woodwork, or tear apart insulation and plasterboard. To keep these annoying creatures away from your garden and home, Jordan Foster, a pest control specialist at Fantastic Pest Control, has shared his expert tips.

Jordan pointed out that squirrels have particular aversions to certain scents and “simply cannot tolerate some smells” — with coffee grounds being one of them.

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He suggested: “Spread coffee grounds in your borders as squirrels hate the smell of them and will run away and won’t come back.”

Gardeners are advised to scatter used coffee grounds along the edges of their gardens to protect their plants and flowers.

To keep the grounds in place and intensify the smell, add a splash of water.

Before applying them throughout the garden, gardeners would be wise to test a small, discreet patch first to ensure their plants aren’t adversely affected.

Coffee grounds may also help deter unwanted visitors, such as cats and rats. The green-fingered experts at Love The Garden have also shared a fiery trick to ward off squirrels.

They said: “Squirrels can’t stand the hot, spicy flavours of chilli, and so a liberal scattering of these could help deter them from the garden.”

They also suggested a unique approach of planting abundant mint, since “squirrels find peppermint too strong for their sensitive noses”.

Gardeners should bear in mind that it’s always sensible to check their local regulations before applying any pest-deterring mixtures in their outdoor spaces.

Corrie fans think they have spotted a future for Betsy thanks to her new step-mother, Carla

Coronation Street fans think they have rumbled Betsy Swain’s future as her mum, Lisa, was seen marrying Carla Connor in the long-running show.

After thinking their day had been cancelled following a flood at the Chariot Square Hotel, Lisa surprised her wife-to-be by revealing their big day was going ahead, with Lisa’s daughter, Betsy, Carla’s nephew, Ryan Connor, and her father-figure, Roy Cropper, as their witnesses.

The nuptials were history-making scenes for the ITV soap as Carla Connor and Lisa Swain became the first two women to successfully marry in the long-running show, more than 65 years since it first aired.

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After the celebrations took place, Carla and Lisa were seen alone in Underworld when a scream was heard. And while it caught Lisa’s attention, Carla dismissed her concern that it was ‘just foxes’ and carried on finding the song she wanted the pair to dance to to round off their special day.

But as Corrie fans know, it was Betsy’s horror cry that was heard, as it was previously revealed that death would rock the cobbles on Swarla’s wedding day. But as viewers saw, no victim was seen, and this week, spread across five nights of soap drama, the murder victim will be revealed.

However, away from the horror that will unfold, Corrie fans think they have spotted a future for Betsy thanks to her new step-mother, Carla. @Emmmmmer said: “Bookmark this. Betsy Swain will take over Underworld when Carla retires. Watch her hand the factory over to her daughter for the next generation to keep it going. #swarla #corrie.”

@LisasLip72 replied: “Yep, foregone conclusion from months ago tbf.” @Dianaspuzzles shared: “I’d much rather see Betsy taking on a more senior role in Underworld than have a baby…I really hope they don’t go down that route….a Carla mini me at work would be so much more entertaining!!! #swarla #corrie.” @Jacksxson added: “I completely echo this. Plus it would be beautiful to watch their family evolve this way, Carla spending forever with Lisa & handing UW to Betsy one day. They could have so much fun & entertainment on the way.”

It comes as Betsy is set to be involved in a ‘coming-of-age’ storyline alongside Dylan Wilson. Actors Sydney Martin and Liam McCheyne have both confirmed the news, but haven’t revealed the details of what the plot will entail.

But it seems a future in Underworld is something Sydney would like to see for Betsy as she told Inside Soap: “Betsy absolutely adores fashion,” Sydney explained. “I adore working in Underworld, and I love that she wants to take that further. She’s got Carla as a role model and to guide her through it, so I think she’d like to follow in Carla’s footsteps.”

Retailers including Tesco, Primark, Matalan, Smyths Toys, The Entertainer, Aldi, Argos, Asda and M&S have taken the toys off shelves after they were found to contain the substance, recall information on the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) website shows.

Turnberry, which hosted the most recent of its four Opens in 2009, has significant logistical issues, despite its Ailsa Course being recognised as one of the world’s finest layouts.

Darbon said last year that he “would love” to return to the Ayrshire course on the west coast of Scotland and that a feasibility study had been commissioned.

It appeared to be a softening of the R&A’s stance given Darbon’s predecessor, Martin Slumbers, strongly suggested in 2021 that the course would not be restored to the Open rota while Trump was associated with the venue, expressing concerns that the focus would be on issues off the course.

Trump bought the resort in 2014 and has spent £200m on improvements.

BBC Sport was told last year that the UK government had asked the R&A about its position.

Darbon has said the main issue is not who owns Turnberry but whether the venue and town are equipped to cope with the number of people attending the tournament.

He pointed out that the total attendance at Turnberry 17 years ago was 120,000, while Royal Portrush, last year’s Open hosts, coped with 280,000 spectators.

Muirfield, 18 miles to the east of Edinburgh, is one of Scotland’s most historic courses and has hosted The Open 16 times, although not since 2013.

Two logistical issues are hampering the course now.

Darbon has pointed to infrastructure challenges around practice facilities, while the long-term staging of the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club – next door to Muirfield – creates further complications.

Last week the Scottish Open signed a deal to stay at the Renaissance until 2030, with the tournament played in the week before The Open to allow players time to adapt to the unique challenges presented by seaside links courses.

Dr Amir Khan told his followers on social media: ‘You’re not imagining this’

A doctor has shared vital health advice, reassuring patients that “you’re not imagining this”. Dr Amir Khan has offered essential guidance for individuals suffering from chronic pain.

In a video posted on Instagram, the ITV regular recognised that sufferers may feel their condition isn’t being taken seriously, particularly when symptoms aren’t visibly “visible”.

In the video’s caption, Dr Amir stated: “I always say I learn from my patients and here are five things my patients with chronic pain have taught me.” He continued in the video: “Here are five things I want you to know if you’re living with chronic pain because sometimes you need someone to say, ‘I believe you’.”

His first point offered reassurance that people are “not imagining this”, stating: “Number one – you’re not imagining this. Just because your pain isn’t always visible, doesn’t mean it’s not real.

“You don’t need to justify it to anyone. Not even to yourself.”

Chronic pain is generally defined as discomfort lasting longer than three months in one or more parts of the body. The root cause isn’t always apparent, but it may stem from an injury that hasn’t healed correctly, ongoing health conditions, changes to the nervous system, or psychological factors such as stress, depression, or emotional trauma.

It cannot always be controlled through medication and can cause enduring disruption to everyday activities, routines and responsibilities, alongside ongoing fatigue and low mood. Continuing with his list, Dr Amir highlighted additional vital considerations for those affected to remember.

“Number two – it’s okay to grieve your old life,” he said. “Chronic pain can change your body and your world.

“It’s human to miss what you could do before, that grief deserves space. Number three – you’re still you.

“Your energy might dip, your plans might change, but your kindness, humour and strength are untouched. You’re still you at your core.

“Number four – this is really important. Rest is not laziness. You’re not giving up.

“You’re recalibrating, listening to your body isn’t weak, it’s wise. And number five, even though it might feel like it, you are not alone.

“There are millions of others navigating this. You deserve care, understanding, and a community that sees your strength in your struggle.”

He added: “I’ve learnt this from dealing with patients in chronic pain every day at work. So if today, all you did was survive, that’s still worthy and more than enough.”

What the NHS says

According to the NHS website, long-term pain stems from various causes, including arthritis, back problems, previous injuries, illness or nerve damage. If you’ve been experiencing pain for longer than 12 weeks, it recommends consulting your GP.

The GP may:

• Carry out a physical examination
• Discuss your pain history
• Identify where the pain is coming from
• Record your level of pain
• Check for signs of any illness that could be causing your pain or making it worse

Ask how your pain is affecting your life The NHS states: “The GP may suggest trying some painkillers for short-term pain relief. However, painkillers are generally not considered a primary way to manage long-term pain.

“If appropriate, the GP may suggest ways for you to stay active, which can help ease pain and improve your general wellbeing.” You could also be referred for complementary therapy to establish whether that assists with the pain.

Further guidance is available from organisations including Action on Pain, the British Pain Society, and Pain Concern.

Shabana Mahmood’s plans to detain and handcuff children during family deportations are “abhorrent” and will cause “lasting damage”, nearly 150 children’s charities and organisations have warned.

In a joint letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Monday, fostering organisations, social care workers and refugee charities accused the government of a “sustained attack on children’s rights”.

The home secretary has announced a number of immigration reforms that will impact children, such as delaying routes to settlement for families already in the UK and removing support from families refused asylum.

Ms Mahmood is currently consulting on a push to increase deportations of failed asylum-seeking families and on changes that will allow physical force to be used against children.

The government’s consultation document makes clear that a child can be physically handled if they are resisting their deportation. Immigration officers will be allowed to carry children and handcuff them if necessary, the document says.

It lists a parent refusing to release a child’s hand as an example of non-compliance with deportation.

In the letter to Sir Keir, charities warn that these proposals will cause “distress, trauma and lasting emotional damage to children”. It adds: “To describe such harm to children as ‘unfortunate but necessary and justified’ is abhorrent”.

It continues: “We urge you to change course, and create policy that reflects simple facts we all know to be true. Children who grow up here belong here. Children need stability and certainty to thrive”.

Analysis by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has estimated that the Home Office’s changes to settlement, which will make it harder for foreign nationals to stay permanently in the UK, could prolong poverty for up to 90,000 children by 2029.

Ms Mahmood is extending the current five-year pathway to settlement to 10 years or more. As a result, hundreds of thousands of children will have to wait last least 10 years before they know if they can stay in Britain.

Foreign nationals who have been dependent on public funds or who entered the UK irregularly, such as on a small boat, will be further penalised – having to wait 20 or 30 years before they can apply for permanent settlement.

In March, Ms Mahmood announced that failed asylum seeker families with children will be offered up to £40,000 to leave the country quickly or face being deported.

A pilot scheme was launched for 150 families who live in migrant hotels, with families offered £10,000 per member capped at four per family to leave voluntarily.

They will have seven days to reply, and if they do not take up the offer, the Home Office will attempt to forcibly remove them from the country.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Between 2021 and 2024 this country experienced levels of migration it had historically seen over four decades. We must be honest about the scale and impact of hundreds of thousands of lower-qualified migrants getting settlement.

“We are reforming a broken immigration system and make no apologies for taking the necessary action to restore order, while in tandem delivering on the government’s commitment to reduce child poverty and educational inequality.”

Trevoh Chalobah believes Chelsea’s winning mentality is reason they reached yet another major final, with caretaker boss Calum McFarlane set to lead the club out at a 17th FA Cup final next month

Trevoh Chalobah insists Chelsea’s players had to “block out the noise” and prove they are still winners.

Chelsea’s dressing room has come in for huge stick after accusations they downed tools and got Liam Rosenior after a run of five straight league defeats without a goal. But they turned up again for caretaker boss Calum McFarlane to reach the club’s 17th FA Cup final and could finish the season with a trophy if they can beat Manchester City next month.

Chalobah insists that is down to the mentality within the squad but they needed to “reset” to ensure the club gets back into Europe next season.

Chelsea defender Chalobah said: “The criticism is part of it. When you don’t win games, of course you’re going to get criticism. For us, we just have to block out all the noise and trust in ourselves, speak between ourselves with communication and trusting our abilities.

“That’s what we need to do from now until the end of the season. As I said, whether you do bad or do good, there’s always going to be people that talk. It’s important that we just focus on what we have.

“Another final. It’s that, another final. Last year we were in a final, and the year before. We have that mentality. It’s good that we showed that today. We all knew the goal and knew what the goal was, and it’s just to win no matter what.

“When obviously things aren’t going your way and results don’t go our way, that’s what we can hold on to because we showed it at parts of this season.

“It was just the same conversations, we just need to show our mentality and winning habits and winning spirit.”

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Rosenior got the sack the day after Chelsea lost at Brighton but he departed without any players wishing him well on social media. Chalobah did admit that Chelsea’s players have to take their share of the blame – but now have to put it right.

He said: “No matter what the manager does, it’s difficult. You spend time with them, you work with them daily, every day. You have to adapt, you’ve got to reset again. For us, we can use that as an excuse but, at the end of the day, we’ve got to look at ourselves as players.

“For us it was just resetting, getting our standards back. It’s still the same players that we had at the start of the season when we were flying. So it’s not like we lose our abilities overnight. It’s just obviously resetting and getting that feeling back and that feeling back and that mentality back.”

Chelsea now have the FA Cup final to look forward to but Chalobah admits it is vital the club gets back into Europe next season and still believes they can do it.

He added: “This is Chelsea Football Club. It’s where we want to be and we have to do everything we can to get into Europe.

“For us it is just focusing on what we have. It’s another five finals. We have four in the Premier League and obviously our final here. But for us, it’s five finals. We have to go in there with the quality.

“The past is the past. It’s about results. We need to be winning games. That’s what the fans, that’s what we want and that’s what the club wants.

“You take responsibility. Now until the end of the season we have nothing else, no other excuse. We just have to go out there and try and win our games.”

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

A witness has described the moment a mother and son were dragged lifeless from a west London river after a woman raised the alarm.

The boy, 7, and his mother 34 died on Saturday afternoon after it is believed they were pulled under the water by currents in the River Brent.

The seven-year-old had first encountered problems and the mother had entered the water to aid him, it is understood.

A canal boat owner who is moored near the spot told Metro: ‘A Muslim woman in a headscarf had raised the alarm. She was obviously distraught.

‘It was a very sunny day there were people with picnics and kids playing. There were loads of people around. I saw one body brought out – it was absolutely terrible.

‘If I had known what was happening I would have shot over there as I have a lot if safety and rescue equipment on my boat. I’m so upset – this is just awful.

‘A lot of their family and friends came down. The emergency services were amazing.’

Paramedics worked to resuscitate the mother and son.

The experienced canal boat owner added: ‘Where it happened is dangerous. There is flowing water and a current.’

The incident happened close to Elthorne Park, Ealing, on one of the hottest days of the year.

Families were picnicking while children played on rope swings in the woods next to the river.

Emergency secured were scrambled just before 4.30pm.

The police pulled the pair from the water.

Despite the best efforts of the first responders, they succumbed to their injuries at the scene.

Other park users attempted to save the pair but the water is murky and there are strong currents from a nearby weir.

A dog walker said the whole community was ‘reeling’ after the incident.

Sandy Hughes said: ‘We are all reeling and in mourning for this family. It was a lovely day with kids playing and people having picnics.

‘There were so many people around. The water doesn’t look that dangerous but there is debris and it’s very brown so you can’t see what’s beneath.’

Detective Superintendent Pete Thackray, from the Metropolitan Police’s West Area Command Unit, said: ‘This is a tragic incident in which a woman and her young child have lost their lives.

‘Our thoughts are with their loved ones. We would also like to acknowledge the efforts of the first responders and members of the public who did their very best in an incredibly challenging situation.’

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The man, in his 50s, was airlifted to hospital after the crash just before 6pm on Friday (April 24) at the junction of Burnthouse Lane and Long Lane in Cockfield, near Bishop Auckland.

He suffered multiple injuries, including a broken collarbone, fractured ribs and a punctured lung.

Durham Police said the BMW pulled out at the junction when the crash happened. The driver, a woman in her early 20s, was uninjured.

The cyclist was airlifted to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough for further treatment.

A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We received a call to 999 on Friday at 5.44pm to reports of a road traffic collision between a bike and a car at the junction of Burnthouse Lane and Long Lane in the Staindrop area.

“We sent a rapid response paramedic, an emergency ambulance crew and the air ambulance.

“One male patient was taken by GNAAS to James Cook hospital for further treatment.”

The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) helicopter airlifted the man to hospital.

May, 26, was born in south London, where she was brought up by her Australian mother and half-Australian father — “I’ve grown up with homesick Australians talking about the ocean” — and while her mother is a writer, there were no musicians in the family. May began performing as a slam poet in her teenage years, before picking up a guitar at 19 to play “really, really, really bad songs”.