“It’s like Baileys – but way better.”

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While Baileys remains the household name for Irish cream, another liqueur is stealing the spotlight among enthusiasts. Irish locals and online commenters are increasingly championing Coole Swan, praising it as a smoother, higher-quality alternative made with simple, natural ingredients.

The buzz has spread across travel forums and Reddit, where seasoned drinkers frequently recommend it over the mainstream competition. One fan on Tripadvisor recently declared it their “drink of choice for about a year now,” while another shopper noted they were “excited to try” the premium blend after seeing such glowing reviews.

If you’re looking to upgrade your bar cart, you can currently find a bottle at Tesco for £20. As part of a Clubcard deal, the price is reduced from its usual £26.50 making it the perfect time to see if this “hidden gem” lives up to the hype.

With the present offer available, customers have an opportunity to sample the award-winning beverage for less. Unlike numerous Irish creams that depend on flavourings, Coole Swan maintains it focuses more on a selection of premium ingredients.

Each bottle combines single malt Irish whiskey with genuine Belgian white chocolate, fresh Irish dairy cream sourced from the brand’s own farm in County Cavan, and a hint of vanilla for equilibrium. According to the brand, the outcome is a lighter, smoother liqueur containing less sugar and delivering a more authentic flavour, reports the Mirror.

The Coole Swan Cream Liqueur is available from Tesco

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Coole Swan is said to deliver the finest single malt Irish whiskey, real Belgian white chocolate and fresh Irish cream

Due to its fresh ingredients, it’s important to note that the bottle requires refrigeration once opened. The brand has also secured over 90 international accolades, including victories at the San Francisco Wine and Spirits Awards, a 96/100 score from Wine Enthusiast and was named the top Irish cream liqueur by Tasting Table, surpassing Baileys and various other rivals.

For those seeking a present around Mother’s Day or Easter, or simply a creamy post-dinner beverage, the liqueur can be savoured chilled over ice, incorporated into cocktails or enjoyed slowly on its own. An alternative within a similar price bracket is the Irish Mist Honey Liqueurs for £24.50, reduced from £27.70, on Amazon.

This combines honey and ‘complex spice notes’, alongside some fruity undertones and a hint of vanilla, according to the listing. It arrives in a 700ml bottle and nearly 3,000 customers have given it high marks on Amazon, with an average 4.8 out of five-star rating.

Master of Malt also stocks the Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur (70cl) for £28.50, reduced from £29.49. Made in County Cork, individual batches of fresh cream are combined with triple distilled Irish whiskey within 48 hours of collection, with the cream obtained from five family-run farms in the area, to produce this drink, the website states.

On the Coole Swan website, shoppers have given the whiskey high ratings, with one customer commenting: “Really enjoyed making some amazing cocktails with it! Yummy.”

Another remarked: “Silky smooth and too easy to drink. Absolutely delicious!” A third reviewer added: “Coole Swan Superior Irish cream Liqueur as it says on the bottle. I am Irish and this is my favourite one, I would highly recommend it.”

On Trustpilot, there were some somewhat contrasting reviews, as one individual noted as part of a lengthier assessment: “My order arrived damaged so I emailed Coole Swan to let them know. The response was personal, friendly and professional. Absolutely no question, a replacement was sent the next day.”

Another customer stated: “It’s like Baileys – but way better.”

But one driving instructor has revealed the one thing you need to do in order to nail parallel parking in seconds.

Parallel parking involves parking your car parallel to the curb, and often has to be carried out while parking in between two stationary vehicles.

The wheel needs to be turned at exactly the right moment, in order to avoid hitting the parked cars, as well as the curb.

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Francis Noakes, an online driving instructor has revealed the one hack you need in order to nail the tricky manoeuvre in seconds.

In a clip shared on TikTok the driving instructor behind Driving School TV shared a minute-long video revealing exactly how to do it.

The first step is to line up your vehicle with the car you want to park behind, while checking all of the mirrors for oncoming traffic and pedestrians, before slowly starting to reverse slowly.

Francis reveals that you will know when to start turning the wheel by looking at the wing mirrors.

The next crucial step in order to ensure that your car ends up perfectly parallel with the curb is to check your wing mirrors for dangers.

At this point, Francis turns the wheel twice towards the curb, before turning it back towards the road so that the car is parked parallel with the curb. 

He then proceeds to bring the car to a stop and put it in neutral with the handbrake on.

Francis said: “I’m reserving until I can see the back of my car in the back passenger window.

“There it is, I’m going to take one nice gentle turn to the left, keeping up my observations.

“Then what I’m looking for is for the back of the car to hit the curb in the [wing] mirror.

“It looks like the back of the car is touching the curb.”

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The RAC advises that parallel parking is a great skill because it allows you to park in a smaller space than would be possible if you were driving forward into it.

By reversing in, a driver can take advantage of a single empty space, not too much longer than the car.

Parallel parking might also be the only option to get a space in town and city centres where space is a premium.

After Wrexham secured a huge 2-0 victory over Swansea City, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney offered an update on the development of the Racecourse Ground

Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have made it clear the development of the Kop Stand is expected to finish in 2027. When the work is complete, the capacity of the Racecourse Ground is expected to rise to around 18,000 spectators.

Right now, there is only three stands at the home of the Red Dragons, but the huge 7,750 seater Kop Stand will be enormous when it’s complete. And according to Reynolds, everything is going according to plan, with initial time frames going as expected.

The Hollywood duo joined Sky Sports News’ commentary team for their side’s 2-0 Championship home victory over Welsh rivals Swansea City. After the match, Reynolds was asked about the development of the stand.

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When asked if 2027 was still realistic, Reynolds replied: “That’s what we are thinking. That’s the idea. They usually say it takes twice as much time for any construction job, but I think we’ll get this on time. We’re going to get this on time and on budget.”

The construction of the Kop Stand is being funded through a mixture of public and private investment. It has received heavy backing from the Wrexham council, with reports from 2023 revealing a significant portion of a £25m Welsh Government grant was directed to the Kop Stand.

However, the fact public money has been put towards its construction through a non-repayable grant, despite the fact it will help the stadium host football and rugby internationals as well as concerts, was criticised by football finance expert Stefan Borson.

In the Guardian, he expressed concern about the fact taxpayer money was being put towards the stadium despite McElhenney and Reynolds, whom he described as being “very wealthy and liquid,” being so invested in the club. Nevertheless, host of the Price of Football podcast Kieran Maguire explained this kind of arrangement was not unusual when it comes to stadium developments.

He said: “Public-private partnerships are common. I think you’ve got to look at where the rewards are going. Will the owners of Wrexham benefit from this? Yes. Will the community benefit from this?

“That’s where the people making the decision in terms of the grant need to look and they will have assessed it. They will feel that the increased profile it could potentially bring to Wrexham as a town, if the ground is going to host international matches, outweighs the costs. West Ham play at a former municipal stadium and Manchester City do the same. I don’t see any fuss about those clubs.”

Reynolds and McElhenney celebrated on the television as Nathan Broadhead’s first half strike and an own goal from Swansea’s Liam Cullen moved them into the play-off places. Phil Parkinson’s side are still battling to get into the top six.

Their triumph over the Swans means they are now six points clear of seventh placed Southampton, who hold a game in hand over the Red Dragons. With nine games to go, every victory is precious for Parkinson’s team, who face Watford next Tuesday and Sheffield United the following Saturday.

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Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.

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The destination management organisation said the events were popular with visitors and gave the city economy a winter boost during a quieter period.

Make it York says such events help make York an all-year attraction as well as strengthening community participation.

The York Ice Trail during February 6-7 featured 36 ice sculptures across the city centre with an ‘Enchanted City’ theme.

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Created by Icebox, a leading ice sculpturing company, each sculpture was sponsored by a local business, highlighting local support.

New for 2026, the Ice Village introduced a marketplace of handcrafted gifts, artisan products and seasonal treats, to improve the visitor experience and encourage people to stay longer.

The Ice Festival (Image: Kevin Glenton)

The event recorded over 63,770 footfall counts across Micklegate and Parliament Street during the weekend. Despite overall city centre footfall being 26% lower than 2025, Make it York says visitor satisfaction remained exceptionally high.

Some 94% of visitors said they were satisfied with their overall experience, with 97% stating they would attend again. The event achieved an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 272 surveyed attendees  

Most visitors (82%) travelled to York on a day trip, while 18% stayed overnight.

Traders, sponsors and volunteers were happy, with strong takings reported.

Visitors described the sculptures as “brilliant”, “beautiful” and “a fabulous family day out”, with many calling for the event to continue. 

The York Residents Festival, held over the weekend of January 31 and February 1 was the most successful to date.

It featured a record 86 exclusive offers- a 23% increase on the 70 of last year, giving residents free access to various York attractions.

Make it York reports a strong take-up of pre-booked tickets for a second consecutive year, resulting in a significant growth in online engagement and an 8.6% increase in click-throughs from Visit York to partner websites. 

York Christmas Market (Image: Make it York)

Those taking part enjoyed higher footfall and strong January trading.

York’s 2025 Christmas Market ran from November 13 to December 21, supporting regional traders and strengthening the winter economy, Make it York said.

Though footfall fell almost a quarter to less than a million in Parliament Street, Make it York cites success with new traders and 85% being from Yorkshire.

Daily Quiet Time sessions and a Quiet Oasis also helped make the event accessible to all, it said.

To boost sustainability, visitors were also encouraged to use public transport, park & ride, or cycles, with storage available.

Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said: “From the continued success of York Ice Trail to the growing impact of York Residents’ Festival and another outstanding York Christmas Market, it’s been fantastic to see such strong support from both residents and visitors. 

“We’re already looking forward to welcoming everyone back!” 

Further information about upcoming events can be found at visityork.org 

What: Uplifting views, fresh-from-the-fields menus and island-inspired architecture

Where: Santo Pure Oia Suites & Villas and Santo Mine Oia Suites rise over Oia on Santorini; Creta Maris Resort basks on Crete’s northern shore

Don’t miss: Sea-view yoga in the grounds of Santo Pure and Santo Mine, and the Ancient Greek massages at Creta Maris’ tranquil spa

Highlight: The exceptional dining at all three hotels – think seasonally-inspired dishes showcasing delicious local produce

So potentially fraught is the outcome that Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire co-founder and chief executive of Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, appeared in person to defend his platforms. It was the first time he had ever given such testimony before a court, despite his company being sued hundreds of times in the past.

It follows three arrests being made in relation to the shooting in Starkey Crescent, Tang Hall, on Saturday night (March 7).

No one was harmed in the shooting which police are treating as an isolated incident with no threat to the wider community.

North Yorkshire Police said a 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm without a certificate and criminal damage on Thursday. He remains in police custody, the force said on Friday afternoon.

Earlier in the week, police said a 34‑year‑old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm and criminal damage, a 32‑year‑old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm, and a 29‑year‑old woman was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. All three have been released on bail.

North Yorkshire Police has said its suspect in the shooting “approached the car on foot and ran from the scene” at about 9.25pm on Saturday.

A blue Nissan car could be seen parked in the driveway of a home in Starkey Crescent with a smashed windscreen and a hole in its front grille on Sunday.

The home, near the street’s junction with Cosmo Avenue, was cordoned off on Sunday morning after the shooting. A green piece of tarpaulin had been put over the car’s damaged windscreen and bonnet by Monday.

There was a heavy police presence in Tang Hall following the shooting while officers carried out inquiries to identify the alleged shooter.

Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Rosenior was reminded that all great football teams in history have had a clear standout goalkeeper, to which he said: “I think if you go through history and most great clubs, whether it’s a goalkeeper position, a No9 position, those shirts are earned on form, those shirts are earned on performance.

Rory McIlroy made the cut with a shot to spare at the Players Championship, but heads into the weekend trailing leader Ludvig Aberg by 13 shots.

Defending champion McIlroy, who has been struggling with a back injury, birdied his last hole to card a 71 as he reached the halfway stage on one-over par at TPC Sawgrass.

Aberg grabbed three birdies and an eagle in his first four holes, adding another eagle at the ninth as he went out in 29.

Another three birdies coming home, with a single dropped shot, saw the Swede card a 63 to reach 12-under par and establish a two-shot lead.

Xander Schauffele hit every fairway en route to a 65 and second place, one clear of fellow American Cameron Young, with Justin Thomas and Canada’s Corey Conners on eight-under par.

Sepp Straka was a shot further back with English duo Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick among those on five-under par.

McIlroy was in good company fighting to beat the cut, with world number one Scottie Scheffler also grabbing a birdie at the last to finish on one-over par, one shot better than the cut line.

McIlroy withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Saturday before his third round and he said he felt “rusty” on Thursday after he laboured through his opening round.

He told Sky Sports: “I felt a little bit better. I would say if anything it was just I was struggling to trust everything was OK yesterday.

“I struggled a little bit on lies that were beneath my feet and stuff like that, but today I felt pretty good and felt like I hit the ball well. I really just couldn’t get a putt to drop. That was the issue.

“I tried my best, I grinded and made a good birdie at the last, hopefully to make the cut.

“Game feels good, I just went five or six days without really touching a club or doing anything so just getting my feels back a little.

“Hopefully another couple of days to get myself up the leaderboard. I’m 11 back at the minute, I’m not sure I’m going to contend for the title, but hopefully two good days and have a respectable finish.”