EPIDAURUS, Greece (AP) — As Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” renews global fascination with Homer, a cast of disabled and non-disabled performers in Greece is staging the war’s other story.
It’s not about the triumph of returning heroes, but the suffering they left behind.
“The Trojan Women,” with a cast of 22, was staged at Epidaurus, the ancient open-air stone arena in southern Greece. It marked what organizers called the first fully accessible performance in the ancient theater’s 2,300-year history.
While Homer followed warriors sailing home from Troy, the playwright Euripides — writing some three centuries later — turned to the city’s ruins and its women, forced into exile and enslavement.
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The ancient theater offered a full range of accessibility services for the Aug. 2 performance. Blind audience members received Braille programs, tactile models and live audio description, while deaf spectators followed overhead titles. Physical adaptations also improved access throughout the site.
“It’s the first time a performance at Ancient Epidaurus has been made accessible to everyone,” said Greg Polychronidis, a Paralympic gold medalist who attended the event. “Today was a celebration of equality and it should serve as an example for everyone, forever.”
For many of the performers, standing on the ancient stage was itself part of the message: a voice for those often overlooked. Eirini Kourouvani, a 58-year-old cast member who uses a wheelchair, had never set foot inside the theater before.
“It is just grand,” she said. “I feel my heart opening up as wide as this theater is.”
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Ioanna-Maria Gertsou, a blind psychologist, attended with Babu, her guide dog.
“We too have the right to attend performances on an equal footing,” she said, relieved that her dog remained quiet during the play.
The National Theater of Greece produced the performance, and accessibility services were designed by the nonprofit Liminal with financial support from Greece’s Alpha Bank.
Argyro Chioti, the National Theater’s artistic director, said the production should become the norm rather than the exception.
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“This was complex, not simple. It required months of planning. It cost money. And it required very specific organizational expertise,” she said. “But that’s the standard and venues we need to reach — the major stages and the major theaters.”
Nathan Smith’s family have paid tribute to the musician whose band supported the Wombats (Picture: Facebook/Stoke-on-Trent Police)
Tributes have poured in after the death of ‘immensely talented musician’ Nathan Smith who was hit by a tractor while walking.
Smith’s family have paid tribute to the musician, whose Stoke-on-Trent band MFK supported the Wombats.
The 45-year-old dad, who lived in Hartshill, was involved in the crash with a tractor on Shelton New Road in Cliffe Vale on Wednesday morning, the police said.
His devastated family said in a statement: ‘Nathan was a self-taught electric bass player, who played in various Stoke bands and ran the UTC recording studio in Longton with his friend and fellow Big Cash Prizes band member, Tom Bath.
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‘He was supremely talented and in recent years enjoyed success with a new Stoke band MFK, culminating in supporting the Wombats at Trentham Gardens.
‘Nathan was so much more though. A wonderful son, grandson and an incredible father. He charmed everyone he met and was universally adored.
‘He will be missed enormously by so many people.’
His parents wrote about their son on social media: ‘He was an immensely talented musician, a wonderful father, and an incredible human being who was adored by his family and friends.
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‘He was the light of our lives and we are absolutely brokenhearted.’
Tributes have poured in from friends and those who knew Smith, and his neighbours left roses on his car in the village where he lived.
A friend wrote on social media: ‘What a great man he was. Charm, integrity, talent and a sincere desire to help anyone in need. It was a pleasure to know you, Nath. My sincerest of condolences to your family and friends. RIP.’
One person said: ‘Sad news. Used to go to Fenton sixth form with Nath and hung out with him at gigs and many a night out. Always had a friendly word for everyone. Rest in peace mate. Thoughts are with his family and friends.’
Police say they are concerned regarding the whereabouts of a 5-year-old boy this morning.
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Jaxx McHugh was last seen at approximately 0700 hours today, August 9 2026. The child was seen in the vicinity of Norglen Parade, in West Belfast. He is non verbal and officers say will likely be on his own.
A brief appeal has been shared by the PSNI across social media.
It reads: “Jaxx was last seen wearing either pyjama bottoms or a nappy and may be carrying an IPad. Jaxx is of slim build with blonde coloured hair. Jaxx is non verbal and will likely be on his own.
“If you see this child please stop with him and contact 999 and quote serial number 470 of 9/8/26. Thank you.”
Concern is growing for a woman who is said to have entered the water off Weymouth Esplanade last night and didn’t return (Picture: Getty Images)
An urgent search has been launched for a woman who entered the water on a popular Dorset beach.
Helicopters from the police and Coastguard along with the RNLI are scouring the waters in Weymouth after the incident yesterday evening.
The alarm was raised shortly after 11pm yesterday by a member of the public after concern for the woman’s welfare.
She is said to have entered the sea from Weymouth Esplanade, but not believed to have returned.
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She is described as being of average build and having long hair, and is believed to have been alone on the beach.
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The woman was wearing a long flowing dress, which has a lighter colour at the top, Dorset Police said.
The National Police Air Service helicopter, HM Coastguard and the RNLI were scrambled to the three-mile long beach, which attracts thousands of people each day in good weather.
Inspector Mark Latter, of Dorset Police, said: ‘We are growing increasingly concerned for the woman’s welfare and are carrying out enquiries to locate her.
‘The woman was on her own at the time of the incident and no belongings have been found following a search of the beach area.
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‘I am appealing to anyone who may have witnessed a woman matching the description in the Weymouth Esplanade area at the time of the incident to contact us.
‘I am also directly appealing to the woman to get in touch with us if she has left the water and is safe and well.’
Metro has contacted the Coastguard for a comment.
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Harry Potter star Jessie Cave has claimed she was left in tears on the set of the blockbuster movies when she was fat-shamed by a costume designer.
Jessie was 20-years-old when she was cast as Lavender Brown in the magical movies, playing the character for three movies.
But two decades on, Jessie explained she has some traumatic memories of the movies which propelled her to fame.
Speaking on the RESET the Pod podcast with Alice Maria, Jessie said a costume designer shamed her during filming after she put on weight.
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‘The costume designer came up to me, gripped the fat on my hips and said, “What is this?” She gripped it so hard it left me in pain. I just had to say, “That’s my body,”‘ said the actress.
Jessie also claims she was told to ‘suck in’ immediately before filming a Great Hall scene:
Harry Potter star Jessie Cave has claimed she was left in tears on the set of the blockbuster movies when she was fat-shamed by a costume designer (Jessie pictured in the 2009 film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince with Rupert Grint)
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‘She whispered in my ear, “Suck in, suck in.” I immediately started crying.’
‘The camera was behind me at first, but when it reached my face, you can see in the film that I’ve got tears in my eyes.’
After returning for the final film two stone heavier, Jessie says she was ‘treated like I was invisible.’
‘I’d gone in as the exciting love interest, then came back two stone heavier and felt like a complete nobody. It was 100% because of my weight.’
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Jessie said her experiences have made her wary of HBO’s Harry Potter reboot TV series, which is currently filming, with the first episodes premiering at Christmas.
Mum of four Jessie insisted ‘I would not wish that on my kids. I wouldn’t want them to face that scrutiny. You’re signing them up for a job where there can be a lot of cruelty—it hardens you.’
More recently the actress and writer has turned to OnlyFans to support her family after facing rejection at acting auditions.
Jessie posts non-sexual, niche hair content aimed at people with a hair fetish, explaining: ‘I needed to think of something quickly to make money, or we weren’t going to be able to afford our rent.’
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After returning for the final film two stone heavier, Jessie says she was ‘treated like I was invisible’ (pictured in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in 2010)
More recently the actress and writer has turned to OnlyFans to support her family after facing rejection at acting auditions. Jessie posts non-sexual, niche hair content
‘OnlyFans was life-changing from the second I started.’
Jessie is now a top 1% creator, but says there is still confusion over what type of content she shares.
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‘People think I’m doing hardcore porn,’ she admitted. ‘There was a clear divide between the true hair fetishists and those looking for “Harry Potter actress does porn.”‘
She describes OnlyFans as her ‘rehabilitation’ from burnout and says she now sees it as a long-term career:
‘After years of being told I wasn’t good enough, thin enough or pretty enough, it’s thrilling to be in control for a change.’
Back in April Jessie announced her engagement to longterm partner Alfie Brown.
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The couple, who are parents to sons Donnie, 11, Abraham, five, Becker, three, as well as nine-year-old daughter Margot, took to Instagram with a loved-up post.
Jessie proudly showed off her dazzling diamond engagement ring after accepting Alfie’s proposal.
She captioned the post: ’12 years and 4 kids later… it’s getting serious’.
Fans and famous friends were quick to share their congratulations with fellow actress Ophelia Lovibond gushing: ‘Yay!!! Congratulations Jessie’.
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Jessie Cave claims she was left in tears after being fat shamed by a Harry Potter costume designer after gaining weight
A leading expert on Bristol’s waterways has cast doubt on a leading police theory in the two-and-a-half-year investigation into the disappearance of Jack O’Sullivan.
For the past year, former harbour master Mike Ferguson has thoroughly reviewed the police’s long-held suspicion that Jack, then 22, fell into the River Avon after walking home from a night out with friends on 2 March 2024.
Since Jack disappeared, much of the investigation has centred on that possibility, but according to Mr Ferguson, the evidence says that conclusion is not possible.
In a detailed and independent report, Mr Ferguson evaluated tidal information and water temperatures of the night he went missing, as well as the extensive police search of the river that took place after Jack disappeared.
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Jack O’Sullivan, left, went missing in March 2024 (Catherine O’Sullivan)
Mr Ferguson, who has previously lent his expertise to police on missing person investigations, concluded it would have been “remarkable” if Jack wasn’t found during the search.
If Jack had fallen in, his body would have been caught in one of the catchment points where other bodies have previously been found, he added.
Police suspected he may have fallen into the river, as one of the last sightings of him on CCTV was near the water in the area of Brunel Lock Road and Brunel Way.
“The search that the police did was absolutely incredible,” Mr Ferguson said. “It was accurate; they searched at the right times in the right places. The assistant chief constable at the time described it as the biggest water search ever undertaken; I would agree with that.
“They were using masses of resources, and they would have found him.”
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Mike Ferguson says it would have been ‘remarkable’ if Jack wasn’t found during the search, if he had gone into the water (Mike Ferguson/Supplied)
The Independent set out last November to raise the vital funds needed to spread awareness of children who have gone missing and create SafeCall, a free and confidential support service designed to keep young people safe.
Thanks to the support of our readers and the backing of former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, former footballer Sir David Beckham, the mother of missing Madeleine, Kate McCann, and many others, the helpline was launched in January after an incredible £165,000 was raised.
Jack’s mother, Catherine, believes Mr Ferguson’s findings give fresh hope over her son’s case, but claims the report was “totally dismissed” by police when she brought it forward to them.
“This is evidence, and if nothing else, [police] should be focusing their minds on something else [that could have happened],” she told The Independent.
Police said the information had been fed into its enquiries.
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Catherine O’Sullivan is determined to find out what happened to her son (Missing People)
Ms O’Sullivan remains determined to find out what happened to her son, and feels this could be key. She “doesn’t doubt that for a minute” that she could have answers if other theories had been more thoroughly investigated.
“We’re living in a horrific day-to-day life because we have no idea what has happened,” she added.
She has always been sceptical about the theory that Jack fell into the water, and believes he got into a car instead.
“I feel that Jack’s got into a vehicle… We know that’s what his intention was because we see him approach a vehicle,” Ms O’Sullivan said. “We see him trying to get a taxi. His last message said he was getting a taxi.”
Ms O’Sullivan said she feels let down by Avon and Somerset Police’s response to the disappearance of her son, which is now being reviewed by the College of Policing.
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“We were told lessons would be learned, and, as I said to them, I’m really not interested in Jack being a lesson,” she said.
Assistant Chief Constable Joanne Hall said: “We wholeheartedly recognise the devastating impact Jack’s disappearance continues to have on his loved ones.
“We know how difficult it is for his family that, despite extensive enquiries, we’ve not yet been able to find him, or provide the conclusive answers they so desperately need.
Jack went missing after walking home from a night out with friends (Catherine O’Sullivan)
“From the outset we’ve always had a shared aim of finding Jack and this intention has been at the heart of every action we’ve taken and decision we’ve made.
“Alongside our ongoing investigation, we’ve also drawn on specialist expertise and independent agencies to review, test and assure our work, ensuring that any further opportunities are fully explored. At every stage we’ve been led by the evidence and have pursued the relevant lines of enquiry.”
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A spokesperson from the Missing People charity said: “Our hearts are with Catherine and her family. No family should have to live with the uncertainty of not knowing what has happened to someone they love. The not knowing can be one of the most painful and enduring experiences imaginable.
“At Missing People, we will continue to stand alongside Catherine and her family for as long as they need us. Whether that’s providing emotional support, helping keep Jack’s story in the public eye, or simply being there to listen, we remain committed to helping them find the answers they deserve.
“If anyone has any information about Jack, no matter how small it may seem, or believes they may have seen him, we urge them to contact Missing People on 116 000 or visit the web to share a sighting.”
Please donate now to The Independent and Missing People’s SafeCall campaign, which has raised £165,000 to create a free, nationwide service helping vulnerable children find safety and support.
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For advice, support and options if you or a child you love goes missing, contact safecall.org.uk
The O’Sullivan family has set up a website, offering a £100,000 reward for anyone who has information on his disappearance.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia sent airplanes and hundreds of firefighters on Sunday to fight a blaze in a popular national park, one of a growing number of wildfires the country is battling during an unusually dry season.
The largest fire reported this week has burned about 176 hectares (435 acres) of Mount Bromo, located within the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java province, one of Indonesia’s best-known tourist destinations.
Authorities closed the park to visitors Saturday and Rudijanta Tjahja Nugraha, the park chief, said the shutdown would remain in effect until further notice.
Hundreds of firefighters, disaster management personnel, police, soldiers, park rangers and volunteers have been mobilized to contain the blaze. Helicopters and drones have also been deployed to help battle the fire, while crews have built firebreaks to try to prevent further spread.
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Nugraha said difficult terrain has complicated efforts, with some hotspots located on steep volcanic slopes that are difficult to reach by land.
The Bromo fire comes as several other wildfires have been reported across Indonesia during an unusually dry season.
A forest and land fire broke out in Central Java’s Banyumas Regency on Friday, authorities said. That fire was triggered by land-clearing activities and spread rapidly to surrounding areas, fueled by dry conditions. In West Java, a fire broke out this week in the Suryakencana Meadow area of Mount Gede Pangrango National Park, a popular hiking destination. The incident prompted authorities to temporarily close hiking trails to Mount Gede and Mount Pangrango.
Indonesia’s Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency said strong winds and extremely dry vegetation are accelerating the spread of fires. The El Niño weather pattern, combined with seasonal dry winds from Australia, has increased the risk of fires across parts of the country.
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Forest fires on Sumatra and Borneo islands often break out during dry spells. Fires are often started illegally by plantation owners or traditional farmers to clear land for planting, and those burns periodically blanket parts of Southeast Asia in hazardous haze.
Lily Allen stripped down to her underwear as she headlined Boardmasters Festival with her West End Girl show in Newquay on Saturday.
The singer, 41, had a huge musical comeback last year with her album West End Girl, which detailed her tumultuous split from husband David Harbour, and allegations he cheated on her.
And Lily pulled out all the stops as she took to the stage to perform the break-up album in full.
Dressed in a gold ruched dress, Lily later stripped it off to reveal a nude satin corset bodysuit and black lace underwear.
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She later donned a sheer pink gown as she lay on a bed.
West End Girl is a 55-minute performance which is structured more like a one-woman stage play rather than a traditional concert. It features no crowd interaction or encores.
Lily Allen stripped down to her underwear as she headlined Boardmasters Festival with her West End Girl show in Newquay on Saturday
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The singer, 41, had a huge musical comeback last year with her album West End Girl, which detailed her tumultuous split from husband David Harbour, and allegations he cheated on her
Boardmasters Festival is the UK’s biggest combined surf and music festival and welcomes 46,000 attendees across two coastal sites.
It features around 90 artists playing across multiple stages with Saturday also featuring Nia Archives, Ren, Alessi Rose and Example.
It comes as Lily is set to star in a new Prime Video documentary charting her ‘extraordinary’ rise to fame.
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The singer has had a triumphant return to the music scene with her comeback album West End Girl, and will now appear in the feature-length film looking back at her life.
The retrospective documentary will chart Lily’s journey, from the “Queen of MySpace” who changed the rules of the music industry, to the cultural force she is today.
As a pioneering woman in modern music, Lily’s sharp wit and candid storytelling directly paved the way for a generation of today’s biggest female artists.
Featuring interviews with those who know her best, the documentary builds a rich and revealing portrait of an artist defined by her creative fearlessness.
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The documentary will be directed by award-winning film-maker Mat Whitecross, who previously directed Oasis: Supersonic and Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams, and will be released on Prime Video in 2027.
Lily pulled out all the stops as she took to the stage to perform the break-up album in full
West End Girl is a 55-minute performance which is structured more like a one-woman stage play rather than a traditional concert. It features no crowd interaction or encores
Dressed in a gold ruched dress, Lily later stripped it off to reveal a nude satin corset bodysuit and black lace underwear
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It comes as Lily is set to star in a new Prime Video documentary charting her ‘extraordinary’ rise to fame
Lily appeared overwhelmed with the response from the crowd
At one point she took a phone call during the play
Boardmasters Festival is the UK’s biggest combined surf and music festival and welcomes over 50,000 attendees across two coastal sites
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Earlier this year, the Smile hitmaker opened up about the toll her tumultuous last year has taken on her daughters as she admitted they are struggling to readjust following the family’s relocation to the UK.
The star revealed that Ethel and Marnie are finding it difficult to navigate changes after moving from New York back to the UK.
Lily, who released her West End Girl album that detailed ex David Harbour’s alleged affair whilst they were together, returned home after the breakdown of her marriage to the 51-year-old.
Speaking candidly on her podcast Miss Me? Lily said: ‘I’ve done quite a lot this year.
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‘I’ve finished an album, I got a boob job, I had a nervous breakdown, I went into hospital for a bit, I came out, I did some podcasting for a while, then I played one of the hardest tracks in theatre and killed myself [in the role of Hedda Gabler] every night for seven weeks.’
She continued: ‘My kids are f***ing mental at the moment… They are really developing their personalities. It’s just a lot. There’s a lot of questions.
‘There’s a lot of change in our lives at the moment. We’ve changed houses, we’ve changed countries, we’ve changed schools, and it’s a lot.’
Speaking at the Edinburgh Fringe festival, he said he had given up his own plan to run for the Labour leadership after realising that there weren’t enough “fundamental differences” between him and Burnham.
Streeting quit Starmer’s cabinet in the wake of the May 7 elections, which saw Labour thrashed in England, Wales and Scotland.
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In a ferocious resignation letter, he said he had “lost confidence” in the then prime minister’s leadership.
He said: “It is now clear that you will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election and that Labour MPs and Labour unions want the debate about what comes next to be a battle of ideas, not of personalities or petty factionalism.
“It needs to be broad, and it needs the best possible field of candidates. I support that approach and I hope that you will facilitate this.”
Despite repeatedly insisting that he had enough support to enter the leadership race, Streeting announced he would not run in the wake of Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield by-election in June.
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Asked whether he thought Burnham would be PM if he had not resigned as health secretary, Streeting said: “Probably not.”
He added: “What I think my resignation did that week was force choices for others.”
He said it was clear that many people online “cannot cope with the idea” of a gay man in the role.
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Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
One of my biggest concerns ahead of venturing to a music festival which involved camping in the Scottish Highlands was undoubtedly: how am I going to keep my hair looking good for three days?
I know, nice hair and camping in a field don’t exactly go hand-in-hand, but my hair is my thing and I take pride in it looking nice – no matter the conditions.
Anyone who knows even the tiniest bit about Scotland knows that the weather is, to say the least, unpredictable. So, when I saw that heavy rain was forecast for the entire three days, I was concerned about what that meant for my locks.
I have naturally thick, frizzy, wavy hair and I needed to think of a good solution. I’ll admit, I went down a TikTok rabbit hole and thought of everything. I considered heatless curlers, rollers, even looked at portable straighteners at one point. Then I realised I had just the tool in my arsenal to make this problem disappear.
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I recently acquired a Shark FlexStyle and as a longtime Dyson lover, I’ll admit, I was skeptical. But it promises amazing blowouts and, more importantly, long-lasting styles. Could it provide me with a festival-proof look?
The morning I was leaving, I decided to really put my back into it and give myself a full blowout.
The first thing I realised was just how powerful the blowdryer was. I was blown away (quite literally), as it dried my hair in seven minutes.
I found the curling attachment easy to use, but it did require me to take smaller sections than I usually would, which was a bit time-consuming. That said, I was still very impressed with the results. It achieved a salon-finish, albeit from the comfort of my parent’s spare room.
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The blowout stayed put despite assembling a tent in windy conditions.
The blowout survived the first day of dancing, drinking and inclement weather.
For sleeping, I put my hair in a loose, low bun and put some serum in it to try and keep the style in place. The inside of the tent was warm and I was unsure how everything would hold up. But – thank the festival gods – when I woke up on the second morning, the style had stayed in place.
I had assumed that by day two I’d need to put my hair up or hide it under a hat, but I didn’t need to at all. In fact, it somehow looked even better…
And by day three, with the help of a little dry shampoo, it was still going strong. No updos were needed. Great times were had by all.
By day three, my hair still looked fresh.
What’s the verdict?
I would 100% recommend this styler – I was amazed by how long-lasting my blowout was. I’ve always struggled with getting my hair to hold styles, but this could not have been further from the case with the Shark FlexStyle.
I put it to to the ultimate test – wet and windy weather in a Scottish field for three days – and it passed with flying colours.
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If it can keep my hair looking fresh at a music festival, then it can do anything in my opinion! It gets a 10/10 from me and I can’t wait to keep using it for day-to-day styles.
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