Peking Garden in Stockton delivered an experience that felt as much about celebration as it did about food — and it struck exactly the right balance.

After months of her dropping hints, we finally visited as a group of seven to celebrate my sister’s birthday, going for the all-you-can-eat buffet, a choice that quickly proved to be the right one. 

From the moment we arrived, there was a sense that this wouldn’t be your standard sit-down meal. Instead, it felt curated, personal, and quietly indulgent.

One of the standout touches came immediately when we were shown into our own private dining room. For a family, including a very chatty four-year-old,  this made a huge difference. 

It created a relaxed, intimate setting where conversation flowed easily, and there was no worry about excited chatter disturbing other diners. Removing that stress meant it felt special without being overly formal, exactly what you want for a birthday gathering.

At the centre of the table was a large spinning tray, a detail that delighted our youngest guest more than anything else. My niece quickly dubbed it “Mr Robot”, and from that point on, the evening took on an added layer of excitement.

Watching dishes rotate around the table became part of the experience itself, adding a playful, interactive element that kept everyone engaged.

The buffet format here is slightly different from the typical help-yourself style. Instead of queueing at a counter, you order from the menu, and dishes are freshly prepared and brought to the table. 

It’s a system that combines the variety of a buffet with the quality and presentation of a traditional restaurant meal, and it works well.

We began, quite optimistically, by ordering every appetiser on the menu. It might sound excessive, but with seven people at the table, it felt like the perfect way to sample the full range on offer. Plates arrived steadily, filling the table with a wide spread of starters.

Each dish was distinct and well-executed. Crispy spring rolls were light and golden, with a satisfying crunch that gave way to a flavourful filling. The salt and pepper dishes carried just the right amount of heat, balanced with aromatic spices that didn’t overpower. 

Prawn toast was rich without being greasy, while the spare ribs were tender and coated in a sticky, moreish glaze.

There wasn’t a single dish that felt like an afterthought. Even with such a large selection, everything arrived hot, fresh, and carefully prepared. 

For the main courses, each of us chose two dishes, allowing for even more variety across the table. 

Classic favourites were done particularly well. Honey-chilli dishes were perfectly balanced, with a subtle blend of spice and sweetness.

Black bean and Oyster sauce dishes were rich and savoury, with depth of umami flavour. The noodle and rice dishes were cooked perfectly, providing a comforting base to the more boldly flavoured mains.

Portion sizes were generous, especially considering the all-you-can-eat format, and there was never any sense of being rushed. 

Staff were attentive without being intrusive, checking in at just the right moments and ensuring that drinks were topped up and dishes arrived smoothly.

Service throughout the evening was, quite simply, impeccable. For a group of seven, including a young child,  it would have been easy for things to become disjointed, but everything ran seamlessly. 

Orders were taken efficiently, and dishes arrived in good time. And by good time, I mean before we were full from the previous dish!

The private room also meant that the evening could unfold at our own pace. There was no pressure to hurry through courses, and plenty of time to enjoy both the food and each other’s company. 

It’s a detail that elevates the overall experience and makes Peking Garden an especially strong choice for birthdays, family gatherings, or small celebrations.

By the end of the meal, there was a shared sense that we had experienced something a little different from the usual dining outing. The combination of freshly prepared buffet dishes, attentive service, and that added touch of privacy created a memorable evening from start to finish.

And while the food itself was consistently impressive, it was the smaller moments,  “Mr Robot”, shared plates circulating between laughter, and the ease of being in a space of our own, that made the visit stand out. 

When asked, my sister said it was worth the wait, although she conceded that her Chinese palate was a little boring and she probably wouldn’t be in a rush to deviate from her usual.

For seven people, the total cost came to just shy of £200, though this included several drinks and buffet prices of £25.90 each. Under 5s eat free. For a family meal, this seemed perfectly reasonable for the amount of food we ended up eating. 

For those looking for a Chinese restaurant in Stockton that offers both quality and atmosphere, Peking Garden is well worth considering. 

It combines the abundance of a buffet with the care and presentation of a more traditional dining experience.

Ratings:

Service: 9

Surroundings: 8

Food Quality: 8

Value for Money: 10 

The Details:

15 Bridge Road, Stockton, TS18 3AA 

Phone: 01642 612121

Website: pekinggardenstockton.co.uk

Margaret Haney styled herself as a defender of the community and became a familiar face on TV during the 1990s but behind the headlines she ruled over troubled housing estate.

Margaret “Big Mags” Haney cast a long shadow over Stirling’s troubled Raploch estate.

The chain-smoking grandmother-of-dozens first hit the headlines in the 1990s when she fronted a self-styled anti-paedophile campaign.

Appearing on daytime television and portraying herself as a protector of the community, Haney cultivated the image of a fearless local crusader.

But behind the public persona was a very different reality.

Residents of Raploch knew the Haney clan as a family linked to violence, intimidation and criminality which had blighted the estate for years.

And at the centre of it all was Big Mags herself — the matriarch of a heroin-dealing operation that spread misery through the streets of Stirling while raking in vast sums of cash.

Her eventual downfall came only after fed-up locals took a stand.

First, residents forced the Haneys out of Raploch following months of unrest and growing anger over the family’s behaviour.

Then members of the community began passing information to the Daily Record, helping undercover reporters expose the extent of Haney’s drug empire.

When police finally moved in, crowds gathered to watch the notorious crime boss being led away in handcuffs.

Dressed in a pink sweatshirt, leggings and slippers, Haney defiantly raised a clenched fist and shouted: “Get it up you!” as officers bundled her into a police van.

Born in 1942 into a poor crofting family near Stirling, Haney experienced hardship from an early age.

Her father worked as a miner and, after her parents separated, seven-year-old Margaret and two of her siblings were placed in an Edinburgh convent, where she spent six years.

She later settled in Raploch, an estate ravaged during the 1980s and 1990s by unemployment, poverty and drug abuse.

It was there the Haney family became infamous.

Margaret Haney’s criminal convictions dated back to 1975 and included assault, breach of the peace, contempt of court and fraud.

In 1995, Sheriff Norrie Stein famously branded the Haneys “the family from hell”, saying they had terrorised the local community.

Two years later, Haney openly admitted her children had amassed hundreds of court appearances between them.

“My kids have been brought up in the jungle,” she once said.

Despite the family’s reputation, Haney attempted to reinvent herself as a campaigner against child abusers.

She led angry demonstrations after a convicted paedophile was housed on the estate and appeared on the Kilroy television show to discuss protecting youngsters from sex offenders.

But while Haney enjoyed the spotlight, many locals were growing increasingly fearful of the clan’s influence.

Residents accused the family of violence, theft and intimidation, and tensions eventually exploded.

A crowd of around 400 people laid siege to the Haneys’ home, demanding they leave the estate.

When the family were eventually driven out of Raploch, neighbours celebrated in the streets and waved banners marking their departure.

Haney, however, insisted she was the victim of a vendetta.

Stirling Council later rehoused her in a flat on Lower Bridge Street, where several other properties in the block were occupied by members of her extended family.

Locals dubbed the building “Hotel Haney”, while police officers privately referred to it as “Fortress Haney”.

Behind closed doors, Haney was building what prosecutors would later describe as a major heroin supply operation.

In 2000, the Daily Record launched its Shop-A-Dealer hotline, asking readers to report suspected drug dealers in their communities.

Call after call identified Haney as Stirling’s most notorious heroin supplier.

Undercover reporters began investigating and uncovered evidence that the grandmother was selling hundreds of £10 wraps of heroin every week while claiming more than £1,200 a month in benefits.

Her council flat operated as the hub of the business, with drugs allegedly sold openly in front of young grandchildren.

Visitors described Haney sitting in a large chair inside the flat — a seat referred to as her “throne” — while relatives and runners carried out deliveries on her behalf.

Cash generated by the operation was hidden in bags and stashed beneath beds in homes linked to the family.

The Record’s investigation resulted in undercover purchases of heroin directly from Haney before a dossier of evidence was handed to police.

At the High Court in Glasgow in 2003, prosecutors outlined the scale of the operation.

Haney admitted running a heroin network worth around £250,000 a year over an 18-month period.

Prosecutor Drew Mackenzie described her as the undisputed controller of the business.

“Haney sat in her house like a queen and she was money-motivated,” he told the court.

At the time, Haney was 60 years old and walked with the aid of a stick.

Also in the dock were three relatives — daughter Diane, son Hugh and niece Rose-ann — all of whom pleaded guilty alongside her midway through the trial.

Haney was jailed for 12 years and served half of the sentence at Cornton Vale before being released in 2009.

She never returned to Stirling, instead being rehoused in Alva, Clackmannanshire.

In later life, Haney suffered a series of serious health problems and spent her final years in poor health.

She died from cancer in 2013 at the age of 70.

Even towards the end of her life, controversy continued to follow the Haney name.

While confined to a wheelchair, she was once asked about a relative who had been jailed for contempt of court during a murder trial.

Big Mags replied: “She’s brought total shame on the whole of the family.”

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TV presenter Dermot O’Leary has been talking about his favourite spots in Northern Ireland, and one of them is a restaurant with “nose to tail seafood” that he called “my idea of heaven”

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Popular television host Dermot O’Leary has been reminiscing about his childhood trips to Ireland as he promotes his Taste of Ireland show, now streaming on ITVX.

Although Dermot, who turns 53 today (Sunday, May 24), was born in Essex, his parents emigrated to England from County Wexford. He returned there spend many of his summer holidays as a child and retains a great affection for the country.

Unsurprisingly considering the whole show is about food, Dermot indulged in the culinary delights that the country has to offer.

And it is a restaurant just over an hour’s drive from Belfast that really tickled his taste buds, calling it “one of my favourite dinners”.

Speaking on Holly Rubenstein’s Travel Diaries podcast, he sung the praises of the fish restaurant Lir, in Coleraine. He described it as a “nose to tail” seafood restaurant which is his “idea of heaven”.

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The This Morning presenter said: “They’re nose to tail seafood which is pretty much my idea of heaven. So everything in there, the dips for the mayo and aioli at the start, they’re like pollock skin or cod skin or something. It’s just like crispy, deep crispy, really salty, really good.

“That was in Coleraine. It’s not necessarily a big foodie place, but they’ve got this restaurant there. And like a lot of these success stories, they started in lockdown. I think they started delivering lobster.”

Dermot spoke very highly of the trip in general, although he admitted it was sometimes difficult to persuade their local fixer Conall to slow down so they could take in the breathtaking scenery.

He urged people who make the trip to drive the Causeway Coastal Route not to rush it. As well as praising his favourite food locations, Dermot spoke highly of a specific town that touched him during the adventure.

Dermot told Holly: “I think my favourite town was a little town called Ballycastle, which is this gorgeous little beach town, almost straight out of New England.

“You know, it’s a real, not clapboard. It was very Irish, but full of lovely independent bakeries and shops.

“You get past Portrush and Portstewart, pretty much towards Derry, and it’s this gorgeous, long, long, long beaches. And then you’re pretty much in Donegal.”

He added that Ballycastle, which lies at roughly the midpoint of the Causeway Coastal Route and sits an hour north of Belfast, would be the kind of town that would be great to grow up in.

Dermot is not the first person to enjoy everything the town has to offer. Ballycastle has been featured by The Sunday Times on their “Best Places To Live” list, and has been previously crowned the overall regional winner for Northern Ireland.

The second series of Dermot’s Taste of Ireland began airing this month, catch the episodes on ITVX.

Festivities kicked off around 11am in sunny Victoria Square and lasted all day until the 10.30pm finish.

There were stalls, singalongs, drag shows, and drinks for the public to enjoy as they celebrated the event, as well as plenty of glitter.

Organiser Kev Wright (left) with volunteer Phillip Jones (Image: Dan Dougherty)

But it wasn’t all just for fun, as the organisers wanted to ensure they emphasised the important role Pride events play in supporting marginalised local communities.

Organiser Kev Wright said: “It’s been a good day so far – the sun’s with us!

“I think events like this are very important for the community, especially with the rise of certain brands of politics.

“It’s more and more important that we have events like this to maintain our voices in the area, because there is a dark side of things where people are afraid they can’t be who they want to be.”

Sophie (left) and Anna (Image: Dan Dougherty)

After five years as Bolton Pride‘s main organiser, Kev will be stepping down at the end of this event, due to mounting struggles with funding.

But there are other people in the wings ready to take over, who share his enthusiasm for what they all believe is the event’s vitally important function.

“It’s been a great five years,” said Kev, “a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and I’ve really enjoyed being a part of it.”

Chris Garvey (left) and Peter Gallagher (Image: Dan Dougherty)

Elsewhere, revellers young and old were eating and watching the shows, while basking in the Spring sunshine.

For partners Chris Garvey and Peter Gallagher, the Bolton Festival was only the start of their ‘yearly pride tour’.

“Yes, we’re having a good time,” said Chris, “we’ve only just got here,” when they spoke to the Bolton News at around midday.

The pair had set up two folding chairs next to a stall so they could bask in the heat while watching the action.

Representatives from the Bolton Octagon (Image: Dan Dougherty)

“We go to all the pride events in the North West – we’ve got Bury next week, then Wigan.

“The local pride events are our favourites, because they’re all about showing support for a particular local community.

“This is only the start of our annual pride tour!”

As well as food and drinks, there were a number of stalls dotted around the event offering support and advice.

Reverend Michaila Roberts (Image: Dan Dougherty)

One such was the group from Eucharist for Bolton Pride, a set of local churches offering safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people who might feel unwelcome in a regular church.

Reverend Michaila Roberts from Bolton Parish Church said: “We ran a service at 7pm at Bolton Parish Church.

“It’s a safe space to welcome people who aren’t often welcome at churches.

“We are here to support them, to celebrate God’s incredible creativity, and to tell people that they are loved just the way they are.”

(Image: Dan Dougherty)

Members of The Village Church were also there, an LGBTQ+ church organisation that holds bi-weekly worship meetings at the LGBT Foundation in Fairburn House, Manchester.

There were several groups that were vital in funding the event, including Bolton School, Seddon, Cardwell’s Estate Agents, University of Greater Manchester, and many others.

The team also wanted to thank all the stallholders, and all the volunteers, without whom the event would not have been possible.

Sharon Graham of Unite has spoken out in the wake of news sanctions on Russian jet fuel are being relaxed over fears of global shortages

The head of Britain’s biggest trade union has launched a furious attack on government ministers over the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery and lack of support for Scotland’s energy industry.

Sharon Graham has spoken out in the wake of news sanctions on Russian jet fuel are being relaxed over fears of global shortages due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East.

Before its controversial closure in April 2025 Grangemouth supplied 97per cent of Scotland’s aviation fuel as well as major airports in the north of England including Newcastle.

Proposals were presented to the UK Government to transition the site to produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) which would have helped hit environmental targets but the refinery – owned by INEOS and Chinese state-owned PetroChina – is instead being turned into an import depot.

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Speaking exclusively to the Sunday Mail the Unite General Secretary said: “This was an act of industrial vandalism, pure and simple.

“The Government’s own SAF mandate means 10per cent of our aviation fuel has to be SAF by 2030 – that is a 35-fold jump in demand, and we are not making any.

“Not only have we ignored a golden opportunity to make our own green air fuel but we lost the production of ordinary air fuel that was being made by Grangemouth and by Lyndsey in England.

“Now we have shortages and the government is making it easier to import air fuel made from Russian oil – you could not make it up.

“Unite showed the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero and the Scottish Government exactly how Grangemouth could be reconfigured to produce the green jet fuel that the government says we need.

“We even brought in experts who had done it in other countries to explain it to them. It would have cost around £600million.

“But the Government just listened to Petroineos and Jim Ratcliffe, the chief of INEOS. Petroineos is half-owned by the Chinese government, who, of course, want to turn Grangemouth into an import terminal – no doubt to store green jet fuel being produced in China.”

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has been under huge pressure over his government’s policy not to grant any new North Sea oil and gas exploration licenses despite concerns over energy security.

Miliband has talked up the production of renewables but Graham warned there was no sign of a plan to create the thousands that will be lost in the North Sea. It comes amid pressure to exploit the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields off the Scottish coast given the uncertainty over supplies from Russia and the Middle East.

Graham added: “It is really clear that, like the man trying to get into the lifeboat, we cannot let go of one rope before we have hold of another.

“We face a loss of around 30,000 North Sea oil and gas jobs by 2030. So where are the jobs for oil and gas workers in Britain to transition to?

“Last year the government released a “clean energy jobs plan”. This document had nice words about creating 420,000 jobs. But not a single detail about where those jobs would come from.

“This was a jobs plan without any jobs. The only investment commitment was for £22.5 million on a few training schemes – some change. Empty words are not a plan.

“Until we have a plan we should not be making decisions that confine working class communities to wastelands and leave us vulnerable on energy security.

“These well paid jobs are being lost at the alter of net zero and the replacement seems to be offshoring our carbon responsibilities to Russia or other countries with bad records on the environment and workers’ rights. This is putting the cart before the horse. It makes no sense.”

Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) the North Sea energy trade body, has called for a new co-ordinated response to the escalating global energy crisis.

The organisation is urging the immediate prioritisation of domestic production, claiming Iran and Ukraine show that countries that produce their own energy are more resilient.

Graham added: “Given the time elapsed and the dismantling of Grangemouth now, it is hard to see how that can be turned around but on the North Sea there is still a chance to back workers.

“We shouldn’t be stopping North Sea oil and gas extraction until we have alternatives in place – for jobs and for energy security.

“Ed Miliband says to me look at all the new wind farms we are putting up and I say – OK but the turbines are all built in Denmark and Germany – often with Chinese steel. How is that a sensible strategy? Where are the jobs. It matters where things are made.

“It is really clear that Britain at the moment does not have a vision for jobs in the way that I would expect from a Labour Government.

“We have allowed two refineries now to shut in Britain on Labour’s watch which could have been repurposed as green fuel sites. Instead of these jobs being in Britain we are now importing green fuel.

“It is clear that Ed Miliband does not have the vision needed for Britain’s energy futures We could be a key producer of renewables.”

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Jakirovic said before Saturday’s game that his side had become “collateral damage” from Southampton’s expulsion from the play-offs, which left Hull having to pivot from preparing for a game against Saints to plotting for Middlesbrough four days before the final.

Despite the pre-match difficulties and being the underdogs, as they had been in the semi-final against third-placed Millwall, Hull got the job done on a boiling hot day at Wembley.

Promotion capped off a tremendous first season in English football for Hull’s boss, a former Bosnia international.

Jakirovic had won titles in Bosnia and Croatia before a brief spell in Turkey at the end of last season, but he was perhaps only really known in the UK for being the Dinamo Zagreb boss when they were hammered 9-2 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League in 2024-25. He was sacked days later.

If he came to England to prove a point, then it is very much a case of mission accomplished.

“When Oli scored the goal I was thinking ‘I am dreaming and this is a movie’,” Jakirovic said.

“I’m very emotional. A lot of players were crying from happiness.

“It’s an unbelievable journey. I think we are not aware of everything we have achieved today. We had so many problems.

“I’m very proud of everyone, especially the players; they are the main actors.”

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Kyle Busch died after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming complications, according to a statement released by his family.

Dakota Hunter, vice president of Kyle Busch Companies, said in a news release the family received the medical evaluation on Saturday.

Busch, a two-time NASCAR champion, died at 41 on Thursday, a day after passing out in a Chevrolet simulator.

Sepsis is considered a life-threatening medical emergency that occurs when the body has an extreme, overactive response to an infection, causing the immune system to damage its own tissues and organs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Typically the immune system releases chemicals to fight off pathogens like bacteria, viruses or fungi, but with sepsis the response goes into overdrive. The results can cause widespread inflammation, form microscopic blood clots and make blood vessels leak.

Busch was thought to have had a sinus cold while racing at Watkins Glen on May 10 and radioed in to his team saying that he needed a “shot” from a doctor after the race. However, he bounced back to win the Trucks Series race at Dover last weekend, and then he finished 17th in the All-Star race on Sunday.

Busch, who was preparing to race Sunday at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, was testing in the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte, several people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

During the emergency call placed late that afternoon, an unidentified caller calmly told the dispatch: “I’ve got an individual that’s (got) shortness of breath, very hot, thinks he’s going to pass out, and is producing a little bit of blood, coughing up some blood.”

The caller said Busch was lying on the bathroom floor inside the complex and told dispatch “he is awake,” according to audio provided by the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office. The man then gave directions on where emergency responders should go and asked that they turn off any sirens upon arrival.

NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski said he knew Busch wasn’t feeling well recently.

“Yes, but I won’t go into any specifics,” Keselowski said. “But then when he ran the Trucks race last week, those (thoughts) were honestly kind of erased in my mind.”

Keselowski said running multiple races on the same weekend can be difficult on a driver’s health — but most don’t want to miss a race for fear of being replaced.

“There’s no shortage of drivers that would love to take my seat or anybody else’s seat if we weren’t feeling well, and I think every driver feels that pressure,” Keselowski said. “All athletes do. It’s not unique to NASCAR in that sense. We’re all thinking to ourselves, ‘I don’t wanna be replaced.’ … So you try to power through it the best you can.”

Keselowski said Busch’s unexpected death has forced him to pay attention to his own health moving forward.

Chase Briscoe said Busch’s health issues served as a “wake-up call” for him and other drivers, who often put aside dealing with potential issues because they are so busy traveling around the country and competing on a weekly basis.

He said if something feels off, “you need to get checked out.”

Busch’s Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Dillon was not made available for comment.

Austin Hill will replace Busch on Sunday and drive the No. 33 car. RCR is temporarily retiring Busch’s No. 8 until his 11-year-old son Brexton is old enough to race.

All 39 cars in the field for Sunday’s race will include a small black No. 8 decal to honor Busch.

Busch won 234 races across NASCAR’s top three series over his two-decade career, more than any driver in history.

Drivers spoke at length on Saturday about his accomplishments, praising his toughness, competitive spirit and penchant for speaking his mind — all of which led to him earning a reputation as NASCAR’s villain.

“He was a polarizing figure that no matter if you like him or disliked him as a racer, he was always talked about,” Ryan Blaney said. “Just this guy that was always there and won too much, which is why people didn’t like him. And he always spoke his mind. I think people came to respect that about him, that he was true to who he was and that never changed.”

Blaney added that Busch’s personality outside of the car and his competitiveness behind the wheel made him “a larger-than-life person in racing.”

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

We meet the British tourists travelling to Istanbul for everything from ‘Turkey teeth’ to breast uplifts as part of holiday packages, despite the well-known risks

Brits have told why they flock to Turkey for cosmetic procedures for everything from boob jobs to new teeth.

The Mirror spoke to a group of eight friends from Bournemouth who had all travelled to Istanbul after saving up to get new “Turkey teeth”.

Lidz Jolly, 52, said: “I only had two molars left for chewing and they didn’t meet properly. I’ve had them out and I’ll be coming back in three or four months to have it finished, depending on when I’ve saved the money.”

We met holidaymakers after the initial removal of teeth while they awaited the second part of the operation to fix new veneers or full artificial teeth on to the ‘pegs’.

READ MORE: Skin cancers hit record high as Brits warned to be safe in the sun this bank holidayREAD MORE: Woman mistaken for pensioner after Turkey teeth left her with stumps

Paul Moss, 53, had come over five veneers and implants for £4,500. He said: “I had the implants put in last night but I wouldn’t be able to afford to have this kind of thing done in England.”

Jody Hall, 45, arrived having paid £4,500 to finish off a full mouth of implants. He had travelled out to Turkey 18 months ago before having to save up to have the surgery completed. He told the Mirror: “I had my teeth taken out in a different part of Turkey and I was supposed to come back sooner but I just didn’t have the money.”

Shazza Gibbons, 47, said: “I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon and get them done. It’s terrible trying to get an NHS dentist at home.”

Patients have reported being unable to find an NHS dentist willing to treat them after they get home after having extensive dental surgery in Turkey. Dentists can be unwilling to take on new patients which require complex aftercare because NHS funding means they sometimes make a financial loss treating them.

Brits still travel to Turkey in their thousands for cut-price cosmetic surgery despite the known risks.

A 2022 study identified that the most common complication after cosmetic surgery was wounds coming apart and infection. Most patients presenting to the NHS with complications from cosmetic surgery had been treated abroad, with 72% in Turkey.

Laura Flemming, 29, from Dundee, told the Mirror she had just undergone a breast uplift and implant as part of an Istanbul holiday package costing £3,600. She said: “I’d lost weight and my boobs had gone smaller so I wanted to have them uplifted.

“It’s obviously a thought that you worry it won’t go well. You’re doing something to your body so that’s quite scary. But when you want it so much it’s a risk that you take.”

The Mirror is campaigning to Ban the Cosmetic Cowboys after a number of Brits contracted sepsis and some died from complications.

We reported in 2024 that mother-of-five Alice Webb, 33, from Bristol, had become the first person to die after having a liquid Brazilian butt lift (BBL) in a UK clinic. And Sasha Dean, 54, told last year how she came close to death during a botched BBL at her home. Her feet turned black, she developed sepsis and was placed in a coma, given just a 5% chance of survival.

Kaydell Brown, 38, died on an operating table in Istanbul in 2024 after travelling there for a tummy tuck, liposuction and a BBL.

Cosmetic surgery clinics in Istanbul partner with major hotel chains to offer tourism packages. At numerous hotels we witnessed patients bandaged after undergoing nose jobs and hair transplants being ushered from clinic-branded minibuses back to their hotel to recover. At one hotel we saw a woman in a headscarf and sunglasses being helped to walk very slowly through the lobby in obvious pain, back to her room.

Laura told us she had been subjected to pressure sales tactics online from other Turkish clinics while researching her operation. She said: “If you enquire they keep calling you. They would say things like ‘if you book today it’s at this discounted price’.”

Her friend Kaitlin Jackson, 31, from Preston, said she was saving up for a tummy tuck operation. She said: “When I was younger I always wanted my boobs done but it wasn’t achievable, it was something celebrities did. It was something you would do if you won the lottery but now in Turkey it is more affordable. And you’re not judged as much for it these days.”

Laura added: “Young people these days think ‘life’s too short – get it fixed’. People want to be body positive and enjoy their bodies.”