As Ukraine marks the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion, Sky News has partnered with Voices of Children, a Ukrainian charity, to tell the stories of teenagers living through war.
They speak of a childhood stolen, and the pain left behind by losses and sacrifices.
Kateryna
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Image: Kateryna. Pic: Voices of Children
I am 14 and I live in Chernihiv, a city in the north of Ukraine near the border with Belarus. In February 2022, I was 10 and couldn’t imagine what war really meant, yet by 22 February my emergency suitcase was packed.
Within days Ukrainian tanks were driving down our street. I had never seen them before. For the first three nights, we slept in the basement. During the day, we counted explosions, and at night, we tried to sleep.
On 4 March, my birthday, we had to leave the city, because Chernihiv was under constant attack from Russian bombers. We travelled for three days, spending the first night with kind people in Brovary, who had taken in the cats and dogs left behind by fleeing families.
Image: Kateryna. Pic: Voices of Children
The next night was near Khmelnytskyi, where at a checkpoint we were told to stop only in dark places because Russian helicopters might be flying overhead. On the third night, we slept in a kindergarten building on the other side of the country. My family and I stayed there for 40 days before we could go home. It was the hardest time of my life.
Today, the most important thing in my life is creativity, especially writing poetry. I fell in love with literature thanks to my literature teacher, who I can always turn to for help. Writing has become a form of therapy for me.
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I do not have many close friends, but I know there are people who help me stay strong, with whom I can talk about everything that worries me. I believe that is important.
Hanna
Image: Hanna. Pic: Voices of Children
I’m 17 and I’m from Zaporizhzhia.
In September 2022, a missile hit my building. It was deeply traumatic for me. Everyone survived, but coming to terms with it was extremely hard. The experience pushed me to act because the threat should not destroy my sense of purpose.
Over these four years, I discovered volunteering, civic engagement, various projects and the cultural life of our city. Most importantly, I’ve met an incredible number of amazing people who inspire me every day.
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Perhaps, without that terrible shock and the acute awareness of my own mortality, my life would have taken a completely different direction. Would I want Russia’s full-scale invasion never to have happened, never to have touched my life? Of course. But I am learning to live in the reality we face and not to let it stand in my way.
Despite all the difficulties, the celebration must go on.
Image: Hanna. Pic: Voices of Children
My Valentine’s Day, for example, was bright and eventful. In the morning, I got on a bus and read a message: my friend wouldn’t be coming to the event because her parents wouldn’t let her go due to the security situation. Drones were buzzing in the background, but I hardly reacted. I’m used to it.
At a modern venue that also serves as a bomb shelter, I immersed myself in an educational training session. I was surrounded by young people full of ideas, eager to change the system, launch their own initiatives and move the city forward.
Time flew and soon I had to rush off. I was one of the organisers of an art exhibition, and that day was the opening. I caught up with my friend Yasia, and we hurried towards the gallery. Even in our haste, we noticed the contrasts of Zaporizhzhia’s streets: a clinic destroyed by a strike, buildings nearly reduced to ruins, memorials to the fallen… And right beside them, a cafe was open. Its owners needed only a week to rebuild after a horrific attack.
I am 16. I lived under Russian occupation for two years in my hometown of Melitopol after the full-scale invasion before my family managed to escape.
The first month under occupation was especially hard. Food was scarce, and what little there was became extremely expensive. It was impossible to buy even basics like bread. My parents and I decided I would not attend a Russian school. My mother, a teacher, also refused to work for the occupation authorities. Because of that, we had to hide. I secretly continued studying at a Ukrainian school online.
We also had to hide every trace at home of my brother, who had gone to fight for Ukraine on the first day of the war.
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I don’t have many memories left from the occupation, but I can picture the Russian soldiers, their military vehicles and the aircraft, so many aircraft. My grandparents’ cottage is near an airfield, and throughout my childhood, I loved watching planes arrive. All the helicopters that landed during the occupation had the letter “Z” painted on the side.
The chance to leave Melitopol came through carriers who gathered people in groups and took them across Russia. Before we left, we erased almost everything from our phones – messages in Ukrainian, any mention of my brother.
Image: Veronika. Pic: Voices of Children
Half of our group came from Mariupol, so the vehicle stopped to pick them up. It was 2023. I had never seen anything worse in my life than the destroyed Azovstal plant and the Mariupol Drama Theatre, which the Russians were rebuilding. That was the same theatre they had bombed, killing so many people.
At the border, our phones were taken away. My mother was led in for questioning, and I, a child, was left waiting alone in the middle of the customs hall. Finally, at the Latvian border, I remember hearing my native Ukrainian language and feeling a sense of calm.
We moved to Zaporizhzhia. This is where my brother stays when he is on leave. Before the war, the journey here from my hometown took two hours. Now it takes four days and involves crossing three European countries.
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Olena’s harrowing rescue mission – and how it almost killed her
I hate how we’ve got used to war. How I have grown used to explosions and air raid alerts that can last for 10 hours. It has become the background of life, a new reality in which we try to make plans for the future. But at the same time, I have realised that there is one thing I cannot get used to: loss.
Today, I was returning home when I saw yet another convoy carrying fallen soldiers. People who passed by stopped and bowed their heads. In that moment, I felt not only pain, but gratitude. Gratitude that we still care. That we do not just drive past. That even as we adapt to war, we do not become indifferent to human grief.
Liza
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Image: Liza. Pic: Voices of Children
I’m 18 and I’ve lived in Kyiv for the past two years.
I’m trying to build my life here, but my real home is Oleshky, a small town in the south of Ukraine, in the Kherson region, that is now occupied by Russians. We left to survive. Our neighbours were killed by a shell, and back then, in January 2024, there was no one left in the town to help – no firefighters, no doctors.
We travelled for four days through 20 Russian checkpoints. At a checkpoint in the town of Novoazovsk, my mother and I were taken off the bus for “filtration”. Russians questioned us for four hours.
We started our lives in Kyiv from scratch. We arrived with nothing – just three bags between my sister, my mother and me. But in Kyiv, I met people from my hometown and made new friends. I was able to continue my studies.
Image: Liza. Pic: Voices of Children
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Yet I still can’t quite get used to this big city. The first thing I do when I wake up is open the news to check what happened overnight. Then I wash my face. If I’m lucky, there’s warm water and electricity. I have breakfast and log into my lectures. I’m studying psychology. I pay for my education myself. After classes, I work as a cashier, because I already know that nothing comes easily.
During my first year in Kyiv, I felt a sense of relief. Here, I’m not scared to walk outside. You can wear make-up and dress the way you want without fearing Russians would target you just because you’re a girl. Back home, when we went to the store, we put on old clothes and hats so we wouldn’t appear attractive to them. Here, there’s no need to hide in a closet as we did in Oleshky when we heard strangers approaching our home. We continued studying online at a Ukrainian school at our own risk, knowing that at any moment we could be forced to attend a Russian one.
In Kyiv, I still have to hide from Russians – in bomb shelters during their attacks. I’ve grown used to the explosions, so I try to fall asleep before the air raid sirens go off, just to avoid hearing them and get some rest. What’s harder to get used to is what comes after the strikes. When the electricity and heating are cut off, it feels like deja vu. In the last months of our life under occupation, in the cold winter of 2024, we also had no power, gas or water.
No matter how hard it was there, leaving home was unbearably painful. I cried and kept repeating that I just wanted the war to end. That is still my greatest wish. I just want to go home.
Emergency services were called to the scene outside the Shark Bar on Gallowgate in Newcastle at around 11am.
An ambulance attended and took the patient to the RVI for further treatment.
The Northern Echo understands the incident does not appear to be linked to any disorder or “fan clashes”.
Scenes in Newcastle today ahead of the Tyne-Wear derby clash (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
A spokesperson for the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) said: “We received a call at 11am this morning to reports of a person seriously unwell outside the Shark Bar on Gallowgate in Newcastle.
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“We sent one emergency ambulance crew and took the patient to the RVI for treatment.”
The 51-year-old male cyclist was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
A cyclist has died after a horror crash involving a 4×4 in Shetland.
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Emergency services raced to the incident involving a black Ford Ranger and a cyclist on the B9074 in Trondra at 10pm on Saturday, March 21. Crews attended and the 51-year-old male cyclist was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
His next of kin have been made aware. The occupants of the Ford were not injured.
The road will remain closed on Sunday, March 22 to allow investigation work to take place. Officers have asked any witnesses of the fatal collision to come forward.
Sergeant Ewan Calder said: “My thoughts are with the family and friends of the man who died and we’ll continue to offer them support.
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“I’m appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time and may have any information which could assist our investigation to come forward.”
Anyone who can help is urged to call Police Scotland on 101 quoting reference 3319 of 21 March.
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Former Chelsea and Arsenal player Jorginho may be best known as a defensive midfielder – but he has gone viral on social media for his attack on pop singer Chappell Roan, alleging her security guard reduced his 11-year-old daughter to tears.
The 34-year-old Italy international, who has dual Brazilian citizenship and now plays for Flamengo in Rio de Janeiro, claimed in a post on Instagram, external that his family suffered the “very upsetting situation” over breakfast at a hotel in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The former Premier League midfielder said his daughter was a big Chappell Roan fan and had made a sign to take to the Lollapalooza music festival in Sao Paulo, which the singer was headlining.
He says his daughter recognised the star while eating at a nearby table and walked past her, smiled, then went back to her seat without saying anything or asking anything of the Pink Pony Club singer.
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“What happened next was completely disproportionate,” he wrote.
“A large security guard came over to their table while they were still having breakfast and began speaking in an extremely aggressive manner to both my wife [Catherine Harding] and my daughter, saying that she shouldn’t allow my daughter to ‘disrespect’ or ‘harass’ other people.”
He added: “He even said he would file a complaint against them with the hotel, while my 11-year-old daughter was sitting there in tears. My daughter was extremely shaken and cried a lot.”
Chappell Roan has not responded to his claims.
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Jorginho said he understood well the pressures of public exposure after playing 57 times for Italy – helping them win the European title in 2021 by beating England at Wembley.
He has also played for elite clubs across Europe and Brazil – winning the Champions League and Europa League with Chelsea and silverware in Italy with Napoli.
But he added: “I understand very well what respect and boundaries are. What happened there was not that. It was just a child admiring someone.
“It’s sad to see this kind of treatment coming from those who should understand the importance of fans. At the end of the day, they are the ones who build all of this.
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“I sincerely hope this serves as a moment of reflection. No-one should have to go through this, especially not a child.”
Jorginho finished his impassioned post with a direct message to Chappell Roan, written in capital letters: “WITHOUT YOUR FANS, YOU WOULD BE NOTHING. AND TO THE FANS, SHE DOES NOT DESERVE YOUR AFFECTION.”
The “unexpected beef”, as described by some commentators, led to a flood of responses on social media in support of Jorginho and his family – some serious, some tongue-in-cheek.
Rio de Janeiro’s mayor, Eduardo Cavaliere, wrote that he intended to ban Chappell Roan from performing in his city, adding that Jorginho’s daughter would be invited as a guest of honour to the city’s Todo Mundo music festival in May.
“Odhrán had a deep love for sport and embraced life with kindness, energy and joy”
Tributes have been paid to an eight-year-old Co Tyrone boy who has passed away following a battle with a rare form of brain tumour.
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Odhrán McGirr, a player with Errigal Ciaran GAA, was diagnosed with an aggressive High Grade Glioblastoma, an extremely difficult tumour to treat.
Following his diagnosis, Odhrán faced chemotherapy and surgery. His local community rallied behind him throughout, helping to raise £136,000 to help his family and supportive charities through the diagnosis.
An enthusiastic GAA player, Odhrán had the honour of leading out his beloved Tyrone senior team when they played Offaly in the National Football League in Dungannon.
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Tyrone GAA paid tribute to the young boy who “showed extraordinary courage, strength and positivity beyond his years”.
They said: “Coiste Chontae Thír Eoghain is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Odhrán McGirr.
“A proud member of Errigal Ciarán, Odhrán had a deep love for sport and embraced life with kindness, energy and joy.
“A caring child and a wonderful big brother to Ruairí and Saoirse, he showed extraordinary courage, strength and positivity beyond his years in the face of an unimaginably difficult illness.
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“Only a few weeks ago, he led the Tyrone Senior Footballers onto the field in Dún Geanainn – a moment of immense pride that will live long in the memory of all those in attendance.
“Our heartfelt condolences are with his parents Patrick and Catriona, his brother and sister, and the entire McGirr family, as well as his friends and teammates.”
In a statement, his GAA club Errigal Ciaran, said his passing has been met with “unimaginable heartbreak and profound sadness.”
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A touching tribute read: “Our thoughts and prayers are with his heartbroken parents Patrick and Catriona, his brother Ruairí, his sister Saoirse, and the entire McGirr and Carmody families at this incredibly difficult time.
“Odhrán was a cherished member of Aireagal Chiaráin GAC – a bright light within our club whose presence brought joy, energy and pride to all who had the privilege of knowing him.
“From his earliest days in our colours, he embodied everything that is good about our games – friendship, spirit, resilience and a deep, unwavering love for his club.
“The McGirr name is woven deeply into the fabric of Aireagal Chiaráin. Odhrán’s grandfather Johnny has given over 30 years of dedicated service as a volunteer; his father Patrick a committed youth coach; his uncle Dermot a longstanding youth officer – alongside a wider family who have been true stalwarts of our club.
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“Odhrán carried that legacy with quiet pride each time he stepped onto the field. He wore the jersey with honour, determination and a smile that will never be forgotten.
“As a club, we are honoured to have shared in memories that will be treasured forever – from Odhrán’s unforgettable day on the hallowed turf of Croke Park to that special Saturday morning in Glencull and Dunmoyle that will live long in all our hearts.
“There are no words that can truly capture the depth of sorrow we feel as a club and community. A life taken far too soon leaves a silence that echoes through our pitches, our dressing rooms and our hearts. In the difficult days, weeks and months ahead we will stand shoulder to shoulder with Patrick, Catriona and the entire family, just as they have always stood with us.
“We will forever remember Odhrán – his laughter, his kindness, his teammates and the pure joy he brought to the game. He was and always will be, one of our own.
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“May his noble soul rest in peace. Loved and remembered always, Now playing with the angels. Go raibh suaimhneas síoraí ar a anam uasal. Grá agus cuimhne i gcónaí air, Ag imirt leis na haingil anois.”
But one attraction in the city saw its visitor numbers rise by over a quarter.
For months, there was little or no rain in York and North Yorkshire last Spring and Summer.
The continuous sun was welcomed by visitors at Harlow Carr Gardens in Harrogate where visitors were up to 8 per cent to 527,724; Dalby Forest, also up 8 per cent to 440,298, and Fountains Abbey, up 4 per cent to 436,630, according to the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA).
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In York, Cliffords Tower saw a drop of 7 per cent to 150,673, the National Railway Museum saw a drop of 5 per cent to 656,205 and York Minster 4 per cent to 437,204.
Jorvik Viking Centre is not included in the figures, which only features attractions run by ALVA members.
Figures for York Museums Trust were mixed. Yorkshire Museum saw the biggest rise in the city of 29 per cent to 79,260, thanks to a major exhibition. The Trust’s most popular attraction, Castle Museum, saw its numbers rise by 5 per cent to 221,170. But York Art Gallery had a drop of 53 per cent to 52,560.
All figures are compared to the visitor numbers in 2024.
It comes after the demolition of the former Stanley Board School on the town’s Front Street, with many in the area urging that the cleared site be put to use for young people.
The former school, derelict for more than a decade, was demolished in January due to “substantial structural defects” that made the building financially impossible to save.
Karbon Homes, which owns the Front Street site, has said it wants the land to “benefit the community” while long-term plans for redevelopment are explored, including a forthcoming consultation.
Now residents have had their say on what they want to see from the site, including Pamela Halliday, 49, from Stanley who said the site should be: “Anything but a HMO.”
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“It could be something for kids to stop the anti-social behaviour in the bus station,” she added.
Forty-nine-year-old Pamela Halliday said it should be ‘anything but a HMO.’ (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
Brian Hutchinson, 70, said: “They need to make it something for the young people to stop them rampaging around town.
“A community centre would be good.”
Karbon Homes, which took the decision to demolish the site, said: “The investment required to retain it was financially unviable for us to undertake.”
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Others welcomed the tidier appearance of the street since demolition, though some lamented the loss of the historic building.
The site has been levelled. (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
One unnamed resident said: “It’s definitely better than it used to be, that’s for sure.”
Another described it as a missed heritage opportunity, adding: “They shouldn’t have torn it down.
“When it started to get bad, they should have taken it to Beamish and restored it.”
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Robert Scott, 72, said: “Anything is better than what it is at the moment.
“It would be a good site for a Tesco, we don’t have one of those in the town.
“But if not, instead of it being rubble for the next 10 years it would make a nice little park.”
Lily Beckwith, 70, has lived in Stanley all her life. (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
Long-term resident Lily Beckwith, 70, said: “It would be nice to have a play area for the young children and something for the whole community to be able to use.
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“I remember when it used to be a bustling high street. We need that community spirit back.”
Karbon Homes said it is working with partners and the public on the site’s future.
The company said: “We will be exploring these ideas and will continue to engage with our community partners, as well as Stanley Town Council, Durham County Council and the North East Combined Authority.”
Karbon has also increased security at the site with CCTV and weekly inspections to prevent anti-social behaviour.
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Previously, Graham Wood, economic development manager at Durham County Council, said of the site: “Its demolition is an opportunity to breathe fresh life into a prominent town centre location and, while we have not owned the building for many years, we have been working with its owner, Karbon Homes, as it explores future options for the site.
“We are committed to revitalising town centres across the county and are currently creating a new Strategic Place Plan for Stanley. This follows a series of engagement events last year in which we asked residents and businesses to share their ambitions for the town.
“Securing new uses for vacant sites in the town centre is a key priority and the redevelopment of Stanley Board School supports this goal.”
The Full-Day Heartbeat Locations Tour from York takes visitors into the North York Moors and along the coast to Whitby, following in the footsteps of the ITV drama that ran for 18 series.
The experience currently holds a 4.4-star rating on TripAdvisor, with reviewers highlighting its appeal for fans keen to see familiar locations brought to life.
Goathland (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The seven-hour tour includes stops in Goathland, known to viewers as the fictional village of Aidensfield, as well as Whitby and surrounding moorland scenery.
For many, the chance to visit Goathland is the standout moment, with the village’s streets, railway station and surrounding countryside all heavily featured in the series.
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One visitor described the trip as “a must-do for all fans of the Heartbeat TV show”, adding: “Fabulous day out, got some great pictures of the show locations.”
Another reviewer said they were “very satisfied” with the experience, praising a guide who shared “lots of interesting facts and information about the filming of the series and the sites”.
Guides and drivers are a consistent theme in feedback, with several reviews highlighting their knowledge and professionalism.
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One visitor said the guide was “friendly and knowledgeable”, while also praising the driver for navigating “difficult, narrow roads” across the moors.
Another described the tour as “excellent for a fan”, noting there was a “good time at each stop” and plenty of insight into the locations visited.
The scenery also plays a major role in the experience, with the North York Moors providing a dramatic backdrop that extends beyond the show itself.
Visitors are taken through rural villages and open countryside, offering a broader look at the landscape that helped define the series.
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However, some reviewers noted that time at key locations can feel limited.
One visitor said that around an hour in Goathland “was too short”, while others suggested they would have liked more flexibility or additional time to explore filming spots in more detail.
Despite this, the overall reviews remain positive, particularly among dedicated fans of the programme.
With Heartbeat still holding a loyal following years after it ended, tours continue to offer fans the chance to step into the fictional world of Aidensfield.
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As one reviewer summed it up: “A good day out seeing some of the Heartbeat locations, well worth going if you are a fan.”
What goes into your ultimate fry-up? (Picture: Getty Images)
There’s nothing quite like starting a weekend morning with a fry-up.
But for some reason, a Full English at home never tastes quite as good as the one from your favourite greasy spoon.
Rouz G. Jabibi, who runs More Munchies in Acton Vale, has more than two decades of experience running a cafe and knows all the cooking tricks for creating the ultimate breakfast.
And there are five top tips you need to know, if you want the perfect plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, beans and more.
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More Munchies has been serving fry-ups for years (Picture: More Munchies)
How to make the perfect scrambled eggs
According to Rouz, the trick to whipping up delicious scrambled eggs has to do with the type of butter you use.
‘It has to be real butter, and it has to be unsalted,’ he told SumUp, a payment solutions provider for cafes. ‘Salt interferes with the cooking process, so we avoid salted butter entirely.’
The team at More Munchies mixes eggs with full-fat milk, then microwaves them briefly for around a minute and a half, before finishing off in a pan.
Rouz claims you can use either English or French butter for this, but he adds that the ‘two-stage process is key’.
It’s all about the type of butter you use (Picture: Getty Images)
The sponge method is the secret to tasty bacon
Bacon is a ‘core product’ at More Munchies; as such, Rouz says they take it very seriously.
Their method for cooking involves ‘sponging off’ every rasher to clean the surface of the meat, which sounds odd, but apparently makes a world of difference.
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‘Most catering bacon, and some supermarket bacon, is frozen in brine, which is why it holds its shape so neatly. But when you cook it, that salt and water rise to the surface as a white residue. A lot of places ignore it. We don’t,’ explains the West London cafe owner.
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More Munchies always ‘sponges off’ bacon before cooking (Picture: Getty Images)
‘We bake the bacon first, then sponge off every rasher individually, essentially cleaning the surface of the meat. Then we leave it to cool completely, which stops the edges curling and keeps each rasher long and flat.’
Someone comes in at 5:30 am each morning specifically to sponge off the bacon, preparing around 10 kilos before the place even opens.
When an order for a Full English comes in, the bacon is fried dry on both sides, as Rouz says no oil is needed as ‘the fat does the work’ to make it extra crispy.
Don’t just use Heinz Baked Beans
Rouz isn’t a fan of Heinz, and mixes two tins and tomato juice (Picture: In Pictures via Getty Images)
Controversially, Rouz isn’t a fan of Heinz beans, claiming they’re ‘watery and expensive’.
Instead of the classic, they use a mixture of three different tins – Bid Food, Branston and tinned tomato juice to give ‘a bit more depth’.
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The ketchup mistake everyone makes
HP sauce pairs better with sausages, according to the cafe owner (Picture: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
If you’re putting ketchup on your sausages, Rouz says you’re making an error.
‘Brown sauce should go with sausages, because it complements their flavour,’ he says.
‘Our sausages have cumin and cinnamon; it’s a Cumberland sausage with some extra herbs, so ketchup would overwhelm the flavour.
‘Brown sauce, being fruitier, complements what’s already in the sausage. Ketchup is more suited to bacon and egg, while brown sauce belongs with hash browns, bubble and squeak, and sausage sandwiches.’
Stop over-complicating poached eggs
If you prefer poached eggs to scrambled, that’s all well and good, just stop making it so darn complicated, says Rouz. He claims you don’t need to be using vinegar, swirling your water, or faffing with egg poaching cups; instead, you can just ‘freestyle it’.
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To do this, he recommends using room temperature eggs and bringing a pan of water to the boil. Simply drop the eggs straight into the water, and let it do the work for you.
‘It might take a couple of attempts to get the feel for it, but once you do, the result is soft in the middle, set on the outside, and perfect,’ he adds.
Police and army experts are set to begin an excavation on land near the property, which spans several acres, 50 years on from their mysterious disappearance. Specialists from the Royal Engineers were drafted in after ‘disturbed ground’ dating back to the time of Renee and three-year-old Andrew’s disappearance was revealed in a historic survey of the site, The Scottish Daily Mail reports.
Forensics have been given the go-ahead to commence with digs around MacDowell’s old property. Renee and Andrew’s relatives have been made aware of the latest developments.
Renee and Andrew disappeared on November 12, 1976. Renee’s BMW car was found ablaze in a lay-by near Dalmagarry Quarry, some 12 miles south of Inverness.
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MacDowell, 81, took his secrets of the whereabouts of the mother’s and son’s bodies to his grave after he died in hospital five months after his conviction. He had eluded punishment for 45 years before finally being found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.
Police Scotland vowed to continue investigating until their remains have been discovered.
MacDowell, who was known as Bill rather than William, was living near Inverness at the time of the murders and worked as company secretary for a building firm. The company was owned by Renee’s estranged husband, Gordon, and married McDowell was sacked from his role at the company when their affair emerged.
At the time she vanished, Renee had believed she and McDowell would be meeting up for a weekend away before a planned move to Shetland. The devoted mum, who is survived by her eldest son Gordon, had been deeply in love with MacDowell.
Within a year of the affair starting, she had become pregnant with their child Andrew. MacDowell, a prisoner at HMP Glenochil in Alloa, died at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in February 2023, just one year into his sentence.
In March last year, there was a breakthrough in the case when items – believed to be a potty and a carpet – were found next to the A9.
They were found near to a lay-by close to Dalmagarry Quarry, south of Inverness. Renee’s car had been found on fire in the lay by on November 12, 1976, but there was no sign of her or her son.
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Detective Superintendent Brian Geddes said: “Our investigation into the murders of Renee and Andrew MacRae remains ongoing and officers continue to examine all available lines of investigation.”
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Igor Tudor’s Tottenham, though, come into the match on an upward trend. They battled to a deserved 1-1 draw at Anfield last weekend, and the Croatian secured the first win of his interim tenure last time out, pipping Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Forest were also in European action midweek, but required extra-time and penalties to knock Midtjylland out of the Europa League last 16.
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