A woman has shared how she managed to travel the world without spending a single penny – and she is sharing her favourite things about the life-changing experience
Sarah, known on social media as @sarahmonaco99, explained how she achieved this lifestyle – revealing that her “entire salary is 100 per cent disposable income. No rent. No food. No bills.” She shared that she lives and works on a yacht, where “everything onboard is covered”.
She said: “Accommodation, three meals a day, toiletries, travel to and from the boat – I have not paid a single living expense in two years. My first full season, I saved enough to put a deposit on an apartment. I was 24. My friends doing 9-5s are still saving. I’m not saying this to brag – I genuinely couldn’t believe it was real.”
Explaining how she got into the industry, she added: “Most people find their first season through Yotspot, Bluewater, or Saltwater Agency. No experience needed for entry-level roles. Just show up willing to work hard.”
Commenting on her post, one user said: “If I didn’t have a cat, I would so do this.”
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Others were curious about the reality of the job, asking questions about working hours and expectations onboard, with one user writing: “Are you obligated to party with guests?”
In another post, Sarah shared some of the wild experiences she’s had while working on yachts, including gifts and behaviour from ultra-wealthy guests.
She said: “Rating the most unbelievable things billionaire guests did on our yacht…”
Giving the first example an 11/10, she said: “Moved the boat at midnight because the stars weren’t ‘visible enough’. Woke the captain at 12am. We sailed for two hours. The stars were the same.”
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She rated another moment 10/10, adding: “Ordered £4,000 worth of groceries for a five-day charter – Wagyu beef, fresh truffles, three types of caviar. Ate none of it. Left it all on the boat when they disembarked. We ate like royalty for a week.”
She also revealed that the crew were tipped £11,000 by one millionaire because they “seemed like they needed it”.
Finally, she recalled one guest complaining that the Mediterranean Sea was “too blue” and asking if they could find somewhere with a “more interesting” water colour.
In the comments, users shared their amazement at the lifestyles of the ultra-rich, with many wishing they could experience that level of luxury.
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One user said: “Those drinks look good.” Another added: “How do I get this job?”
The disgraced former Prince looks set to move into Marsh Farm following his exile to Norfolk- but he’s holding on to some of the grand trappings of his former life
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor appears to be on the move. The disgraced younger brother of the King seems to be preparing to finally settle into his new home, Marsh Farm.
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Andrew has been living in Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate ever since his eviction from Royal Lodge. He has been waiting for renovations to be carried out at his future property, including the installation of a tall security fence, landscaping, new carpets and a Sky TV dish. And on Tuesday, three large removal vans were pictured pulling up outside Marsh Farm.
The vehicles were all from Gander & White, which specialises in transporting fine art and has a royal warrant. The company offers a specialist service that includes packing, transporting and installing fine art pieces for their clients – from art dealers and auction houses to private collectors and museums.
It’s not absolutely clear what the vans were transporting – but several valuable pieces from the Royal Collection Trust were known to previously be on display in Andrew’s former 30-room home in Windsor. Some were part of the Royal Family’s private collection and there were also pieces bought by the former prince’s grandmother, the Queen Mother, who lived at Royal Lodge before him.
However, other pieces were held by the Royal Collection Trust, which manages the Royal Collection – a selection of artefacts and paintings curated by monarchs throughout the centuries. Pieces from the Royal Collection Trust are spread across royal exhibitions, as well as being used to furnish royal residences.
According to the Times, these pieces in Royal Lodge were to be returned to the Trust after Andrew was stripped of his titles. Pieces understood to have adorned the walls of his previous home included a 19th century oil painting called Eugenie, Empress of the French and wife of Napoleon III, by Charles Édouard Boutibonne.
Nevertheless, it seems Andrew made the decision to transport plenty of artwork to Marsh Farm with him. It won’t come as a huge surprise to those who know Andrew, who has been described as having an extraordinary level of entitlement.
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Over the years there have been countless stories about the disgraced royal’s behaviour behind closed doors, with anecdotes about his alleged rudeness and his acute lack of self awareness. Much of his reported churlishness has been apparent in recent months.
Andrew is said to have been appalled that ‘poky’ Marsh Farm only has five bedrooms; in contrast, Royal Lodge has seven bedrooms within the main 30-room mansion. “He really didn’t want Marsh Farm,” an insider told the Mail. “He won’t have lived anywhere that small since he left his apartment at Buckingham Palace.”
As a result, packing up Royal Lodge – a task left largely to his staff after his emergency eviction – would have been a momentous task. Andrew, along with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, lived there for two decades, and had accumulated a great deal of possessions. Furthermore, Sarah’s love of spending meant that in the weeks prior to their eviction, a huge number of often unopened Amazon deliveries had been left to pile up, adding to the complexities of downsizing.
Andrew’s most prized possessions had already been packed up ahead of the move – his famously extensive teddy bear collection. According to Charlotte Briggs, a former staff member, the disgraced royal had 72 in total, which had to be lined up in size order, and arranged precisely on his bed.
She told the Sun: “As soon as I got the job, I was told about the teddies, and it was drilled into me how he wanted them. I even had a day’s training. Everything had to be just right. It was so peculiar.”
The stuffed animals have now been safely stowed away – bar one. Andrew is said to have retained a cuddly monkey. The remainder are believed to have been stored in a south London warehouse, where the majority of his possessions are being housed, protected by 24 hour guards.
Andrew is also said to be unhappy about his lack of staff – despite the fact he won’t have the space, nor presumably, the means to afford them. It’s been said that his brother the King has offered him a Sandringham cleaner, groundsman and cook on an ad hoc basis – but that “hasn’t gone down well”.
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In reality, Andrew might have struggled to recruit staff anyway given reports that he frequently flies off the handle and has made bizarre requests of royal employees.
As the second – and apparent favourite – son of the late Queen, Andrew developed a penchant for the finer things in life, and has clearly enjoyed the very many privileges and status afforded to him by his birth. Indeed, he is said to be in denial about his new non-royal reality.
He reportedly continued to require staff at his Royal Lodge home to address him as “Your Royal Highness” (HRH) and demanded bows or curtsies – despite having lost his royal titles. Rob Shuter’s #ShuterScoop reported at the time that actually “nothing has changed inside Royal Lodge.” A household insider said: “The butler still says Your Royal Highness, and the staff still bow. Andrew’s made it clear — palace rules don’t apply inside his walls. He insists it’s his birthright — not something the King can erase.”
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It echoes comments in Andrew Lownie’s book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, in which he revealed that royal staff were instructed to bow for Andrew anytime he entered a room. When anyone forgot, he would allegedly say, “Let’s try that again,” before leaving the room only to walk back in.
According to Lownie, Andrew’s attitude was that his staff were “there to serve and not to question his actions”. He is alleged to have made bizarre requests of royal employees, and would reportedly ‘scream and shout’ if they were not followed through.
Lownie also spoke to one of the Queen Mother‘s former equerries, Colin Burgess, who recalled, “I saw Andrew about once a month, when he came to visit Clarence House, and he would talk to the staff, including me, as an officer talks to his subordinates. He would say things such as: ‘I want this done and I want it done now,’ or ‘Have that done by such and such a time.’ I remember him always saying ‘Do it!’ which was his catchphrase of sorts.”
This was in stark contrast to how the equerry was treated by the Queen Mother or King Charles, who saw staff as “human beings”, he said. Lowrie further alleged that Andrew insisted maids in his home climb four floors of stairs just to open his curtains for him in the morning – whilst he lay right beside them.
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A source claimed: “His bedtime habits as a single man left a lot to be desired, and a collection of scrunched-up, soiled tissues usually lay scattered around the bed each morning for staff to collect after they had made his bed.” On one further occasion, Andrew is said to have brought a television technical worker to his royal home in the middle of the night, insisting the technician explain how the remote worked.
Andrew also allegedly once banished a staffer because he “couldn’t bear” to look at a mole in his face, and also arranged to remove a member of his staff because he was wearing a nylon tie, according to royal expert Tom Quinn.
Yes Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants details accounts from royal servants over the years.Several former staffers recounted that Andrew had insisted on removing the member of staff due to disliking a mole on the man’s face, as they described the royal as “bossy” who and tended to “act like a classic school bully”.
One of his servants recalled: “Andrew always behaved as if he was frustrated about not being the first-born and therefore destined to become king. This frustration made him a bit of a bully in private, I think. If he liked a member of his staff, he could be very loyal and supportive, but he couldn’t resist being imperious and bossy and bad-tempered if anything went wrong or wasn’t done exactly to his liking.”
“I woke up in the morning and I literally thought I had a cold. I booked a doctor’s appointment because my throat was hurting and I thought ‘is it a cold? Is it tonsillitis?’”
Ian Craig Social Newsdesk Content Editor
14:00, 17 Mar 2026
A woman from Kent who was diagnosed with potentially fatal bacterial meningitis last year has shared her experience after two people died in an outbreak. Juliette, 18, and a 21-year-old student from the University of Kent passed away following the outbreak, leading to thousands of students being tested and offered antibiotics.
A Kent woman who battled the life-threatening infection last year has opened up about her own encounter with the disease. The woman, known as Paigeey on social media, had bacterial meningitis – a less common but typically more severe form of the disease, and the same type involved in the current outbreak.
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“I woke up in the morning and I literally thought I had a cold,” she explained. “I booked a doctor’s appointment because my throat was hurting and I thought ‘is it a cold? Is it tonsillitis?’
“I’ve never had tonsillitis before, but that’s the kind of feeling that I got in my throat. I went to work, I went to my doctor’s appointment. I booked it before 9am, by the time it was about one o’clock in the afternoon I couldn’t swallow and my voice was going all like husky.”
She added that the doctor couldn’t find anything wrong with her throat, but her glands were swollen, and when a light was shone into her eyes she began to feel ‘unbearable’ pressure in her head. After conducting blood tests, she said the doctor advised her to go to hospital and have a CT scan, reports the Mirror.
“I had to call my mum, she had to get my son from school,” she said. “I went straight to the hospital with all the notes that she gave me. Instantly they took my bloods. A couple of hours later I see a specialist and he put a camera in my nose, down my throat and they said to me ‘we think it’s meningitis’. They put me on steroids, IV, IV steroids, drip, fluids because I couldn’t drink, I could not swallow, my glands were that swollen I literally could not swallow my own spit.
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“It got to the point where I could not look at my phone, I could not bear being in the room, the hospital room, I had to have sunglasses, I had to have a jumper over my head. I was crying in pain because of the pressure, and this was all in 24 hours, like less than 24 hours.
“It wasn’t a headache, it was pressure, and I’m literally talking to the point where I wanted to headbutt a wall. The pressure in my head was unbelievable.”
She ended up spending five days in hospital and underwent a lumbar puncture – a procedure, also known as a spinal tap, where a needle is inserted into the lower back to extract fluid – before being discharged with antibiotics. “I was still throwing up constantly,” she said. “I had to go back to hospital about a week later because I was just still being sick. I couldn’t drive, I couldn’t stand up.”
She added: “It was horrific. I’ve never, ever, ever been so poorly in my life, and this was just from a sore throat, that is it.” She described the symptoms as worsening, with a rash over her stomach, chest and back, as well as fever, “non-stop” vomiting, pressure, neck pain, and light sensitivity. “When I went back to the hospital a week later I was on the floor crying,” she said.
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“I was in A&E on the floor crying because the light was that bad in my face, so yeah, it’s no joke. Keep safe out there, get checked out, stay safe. I could go on, and on, and on, but those are just the symptoms, and I thought it was tonsillitis.”
She said: “My heart goes out to those affected. Stay safe, be careful, and just look out for the signs and symptoms.”
What is meningitis?
The NHS describes meningitis as “an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord”. It says it can affect anyone, but is most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults.
The organisation warns meningitis can be very serious if not treated quickly, and can cause sepsis, which can be fatal. It can also result in permanent damage to the brain or nerves.
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It is usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection – bacterial meningitis is rarer, but more serious, and it is this type of the disease which the two people in Kent died from. Infections can be spread by sneezing, coughing, or kissing, and is usually transmitted by people carrying the virus or bacteria in their nose or throat, but who are not ill themselves.
What are the symptoms of meningitis?
The NHS states that symptoms of meningitis can develop quickly and in any order. Someone with meningitis may not develop all these symptoms.
They can include:
a high temperature (fever)
being sick
a headache
a rash that does not fade when a glass is rolled over it
Work is taking place to get the barrier working again
A city centre car park has closed after a car crashed into its barriers. The Car Haven car park on Bishops Road in Peterborough City Centre closed on Tuesday (March 17).
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A car crashed into one of the car park’s barriers on Tuesday morning. Work is taking place to get the barrier operational again.
A Peterborough City Council spokesperson said: “A car drove into the barrier this morning – no one was harmed and we are working on getting the barrier operational. We expect that it will be functional again this afternoon but will keep residents updated if this turns out not to be the case.”
People who try to block the sale may be forced to sell up anyway
Landowners could be forced to sell their land as part of the Oxford to Cambridge corridor project, according to the Treasury. The Government announced today (Tuesday, March 17) that Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is expected to double funding for the project.
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Up to £800 million is now available for buying new land and building infrastructure to kickstart the development. As part of this, landowners blocking or insisting on unreasonable demands may have this land acquired with compulsory powers.
This is to ensure the project can move and progress at pace. Chancellor Reeves said: “We’re building corridors of growth and flinging open the doors of opportunity for every part of Britain.
“From the great northern cities to the cutting edge labs of Oxford and Cambridge, we are betting on Britain’s regions to power the next wave of innovation and growth. We are not repeating mistakes of the past. This is the right economic plan in an age of uncertainty.”
The Chancellor is also expected to share plans for a new Development Corporation for Greater Oxford to get rid of red tape stopping regeneration in the area, and therefore boost jobs and growth.
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This follows the launch of the Greater Cambridge Development Corporation earlier this year. Dan Thorpe, CEO of Cambridge Ahead said: “Cambridge, the UK’s most innovative city, can deliver the breakthroughs, companies, and jobs that drive UK growth and productivity.
“Our members, the city’s leading employers, tell us that Government backing and investment are vital tailwinds that support this ambition – and today’s announcement of further funding is very good news.
“The focus now must be on turning ambition into action, investing wisely and at pace, and ensuring Cambridge remains one of the world’s best places to do business, live and work.
“Whether it’s OxCam or the Northern Growth Corridor, clusters in different regions are connected by innovation, and it is welcome that Government sees this so clearly. The Government’s backing will create a ripple-effect of innovation, jobs, and growth across the UK.”
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Paul Bristow, mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough said there is the “real opportunity to unlock the full potential of the Oxford to Cambridge growth corridor”.
He added: “Our Local Growth Plan sets out how Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will play its full part — backing innovation, improving infrastructure, and making sure growth delivers for residents. My priority is simple: to make our area healthier, wealthier, and happier, and this investment helps us get there faster.”
Simon Cowell and his wife, Lauren, have decided to let their son have a phone (Picture: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Simon Cowell: The Next Act)
Simon Cowell and his wife, Lauren Silverman, have made a big decision in raising their son, Eric.
The Britain’s Got Talent judge, 66, and his 48-year-old entrepreneur partner welcomed Eric in 2012, naming him after Simon’s father.
While he’s no stranger to the public eye, having appeared on TV alongside his lookalike dad numerous times, Simon and Lauren have now decided that he can have his own phone – but under strict conditions.
The media mogul and his wife have backtracked on their smartphone ban for their boy after an ‘honest conversation’ that made them reevaluate their rules.
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Taking to Instagram, Lauren explained: ‘For a long time Simon and I were very firm about one thing, no phone for Eric. (Simon himself hasn’t had a phone for nearly 8 years!)
‘But recently Eric had a very honest conversation with us about it that made us rethink our position slightly.’
Eric, 12, had been secretly messaging his pals using his mum’s phone (Picture: Lauren Cowell/Instagram)
While he’s now got a smartphone of his own, though, he’s still not allowed to use social media (Picture: Lauren Cowell/Instagram)
‘He now has a phone with some very clear boundaries,’ she added, explaining the rules he must adhere to. ‘The main one being, no social media. Just texting and calling friends and family.’
‘Parenting in the current world we are living in can sometimes feel overwhelming but swipe through to see the approach we are trying in our house for now,’ Lauren added in her carousel of pictures, going on to reveal that she ‘changed [her] mind’ since texting is very different to using socials platforms.
‘Whether we like it or not, texting has become a part of childhood,’ she stated. ‘Plans are made there. Jokes are shared there. Friendships often happen there and at some point kids start feeling like they are the only one not in the conversation.’
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For a ‘long time’, she was ‘very clear’ that her son was not to have a phone, but discovered that their son had been secretly messaging friends on Snapchat using hers, leading to them reaching an understanding.
‘That moment really made me stop and think about what the right approach should be,’ Lauren reflected.
‘Instead of turning it into a battle, we talked. What he told me was actually very simple. He didn’t care about social media. He just wanted to be able to text and call his friends.’
Simon became a dad in 2014, naming Eric after his own father (Picture: Lauren Cowell/Instagram)
The music mogul hasn’t had a phone himself for eight years (Picture: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
Lauren – who noted phones aren’t allowed in Eric’s bedroom, at the dinner table, or during family time – explained the logic behind the ‘boundary’, writing that the ‘pressure, comparison, [and] toxicity’ of social media are things she’s more than happy to ‘wait for’.
As Lauren mentioned, Simon hasn’t had a phone of his own for eight years, despite being one of the most in-demand figures in British showbiz.
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The former X Factor judge previously revealed how his decision was made for his own ‘mental health’.
Where do you stand on giving a 12-year-old a phone?
It’s fair – loads of kids have them now
I still think it’s too young
He told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: ‘The difference it made was that I became more aware of the people around me and way more focused.
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‘The thing I get irritated with is when you have a meeting, everyone’s on their phone – and I was probably in that place too. You can’t concentrate.
‘It has been so good for my mental health. It’s a very strange experience, but it really is good for you, and it has absolutely made me happier.’
Simon and Lauren sparked rumours they had secretly wed when she launched an Instagram account using his surname (Picture: MediaPunch/Shutterstock)
Simon, whose dating history is well documented, his exes including Sinitta and Terri Seymour, began dating Lauren in 2013.
At the time, Lauren and her now-ex husband, Simon’s friend, Andrew Silverman, were going through a divorce, which turned messy when he accused her of cheating with Simon.
Proceedings were ultimately settled outside of court, avoiding Simon being called as a witness and protecting the well-being of Lauren and Andrew’s son.
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Simon subsequently confirmed Lauren’s pregnancy, and Eric arrived on Valentine’s Day in 2014.
He and Lauren got engaged in Barbados in 2021, despite his long vocal reluctance about getting married.
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
While the official test fee stands at £62, a National Audit Office (NAO) report from December revealed learners are being forced to pay up to £500 for black market bookings.
As of 12 May, only the learner themselves will be permitted to book or modify a car driving test, removing the current ability for instructors to do so (James Manning/PA Wire)
Roads minister Simon Lightwood said: “Learning to drive is hard enough without an unfair booking system.
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“Learners deserve clear, honest access to tests – not being ripped off by third-party sites.
“These changes put learners back in control, stop the system being gamed, and help make sure tests go to those who really need them.”
Beverley Warmington, the DVSA’s new chief executive, said: “Our priority is to stop learners being exploited by third parties and put them in control of booking their driving test.
“The changes announced today will help us achieve that goal and build on the more than 149,000 additional tests delivered between April 2025 and February 2026.”
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The changes follow a public consultation which ran from May to July last year.
The average waiting time for a test in Britain was 22 weeks in September 2025, compared with about five weeks in February 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic (PA Archive)
Learners in Britain have faced a huge backlog to book driving tests.
The average waiting time for a test in Britain was 22 weeks in September 2025, compared with about five weeks in February 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic.
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The NAO report said the DVSA failed to appoint sufficient new examiners to enable it to increase test slots despite several recruitment drives.
Mr Lightwood said the Government is “seeing progress” on its pledge to increase the number of tests.
Some 88,672 people passed their test last month, which was the highest February figure since records began in 2008.
Two young people have tragically died and others been hospitalised from meningitis.
People are being urged not to share vaping devices amid the ongoing meningitis outbreak, with experts warning the habit could significantly increase the risk of spreading infections.
An 18-year-old high school pupil and a student from the University of Kent are among those who have lost their lives. Infections have been reported across the county, with the UK Health Security Agency confirming that at least 11 people are currently receiving hospital treatment.
The warning is particularly aimed at young people, as vaping is most prevalent among this group. Research suggests around 27 per cent of those aged 16 to 24 in the UK use e-cigarettes and vapes, making them the highest-usage age bracket.
Meningitis can be transmitted through close personal contact, including coughing, kissing and sharing drinks. Health experts say that sharing a vape poses a similar risk, as it can easily transfer saliva between users.
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Shane Margereson, a vaping industry expert and owner of Ecigone, has stressed the importance of avoiding the habit altogether. And he warned that the risks are even greater during an outbreak of infectious disease.
Shane stated: “Just like smoking, many people will pass a vape to a friend without thinking about it, but this is something you should never do. Vaping devices come into direct contact with the mouth and can transfer saliva from one person to another.
“During outbreaks of infectious illnesses, sharing anything that involves saliva, including vaping, will increase your risk of spreading bacteria and viruses.”
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Shane continued: “This can expose you to common viral infections like colds and flu, and also more serious illnesses such as meningitis, which can spread through close contact with respiratory droplets and saliva.”
Due to this, experts say vaping devices should be treated in the same way as other personal hygiene items, such as toothbrushes, drink bottles and eating utensils, all of which are personal items that shouldn’t be shared with others.
“Even if someone is healthy, they may be carrying bacteria or viruses without realising it. Passing vapes around in social settings can increase the risk of spreading infections,” Shane added.
The current strain of meningitis which is affecting Kent is meningitis group B. It predominantly affects babies, young children, and young adults, and can prove extremely serious without quick treatment.
Warning signs include high temperatures, headaches, rashes, fits, being sick, lethargy and neck stiffness. These symptoms can appear in any order.
Additionally, it is important to note that you do not always get all the symptoms if you have meningitis. The NHS recommends that people call 999 for an ambulance or go to their nearest A&E, if they have any symptoms or suspect they have the disease.
People are advised to trust their instincts, as someone with meningitis or sepsis can get a lot worse very quickly.
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Additionally the NHS recommend calling 111 for advice if you are unsure about your symptoms or you think you have been in contact with someone with meningitis.
Carl Callen was spotted by officers as he raced bumper to bumper in his Ford Mondeo with another vehicle in Ingleby Barwick.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the 32-year-old mechanic initially pulled over for the police before executing a three-point turn and driving off at speed at about 10pm at night.
Lucy Todd, prosecuting, said: “Both vehicles accelerated hard and reached a speed of 70mph in a 40mph zone – the Mondeo was bumper to bumper with the one in front before officers activated their lights and sirens.”
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The court heard how both cars pulled over before Callen performed a three-point turn and tried to make off from the scene.
Miss Todd said Callen reached speeds in excess of 90mph and went through a red light at the crossroads of Myton Way and The Rings causing another vehicle to take evasive action.
She said the defendant eventually pulled over again and told the officers that he had panicked before telling them there was cocaine for personal use in his car.
Callen, of Sapley Close, Thornaby, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving following his arrest on February 2 last year.
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Michele Turner, mitigating, said her client had no previous convictions and his pre-sentence report shows that he has no criminogenic needs to address.
She said he had now found a new job and his father was taking him to and from work in Hartlepool.
Recorder Kama Melly KC sentenced Callen to a 12-month community order and told him he must carry out 50 hours of unpaid work.
“You seemed to be racing another vehicle and were driving at 70mph in a 40mph area and other drivers had to take evasive action,” she said.
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Callen was also banned from driving for a year and had his car seized by the police.
The 45-year-old took a teenager to a hotel where he raped her, sexually assaulted her, and paid her for having sex with him.
Galsinh also sexually assaulted her in a car several times and on one occasion tried to strangle her.
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He also raped a second girl, and forced her to engage in sexual activity in his vehicle, for which he also paid her.
He previously pleaded guilty to pleading guilty to three counts of rape, intentional strangulation, three counts of paying for sexual services of a girl, sexual assault of a child, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child and assault by penetration of a child.
However, detectives and prosecutors were unhappy with the outcome and submitted an appeal against the sentence.
At the Court of Appeal in London last week, his sentence was extended to 18 years with one additional year on extended licence.
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The Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and lifetime restraining orders against both girls imposed at the original sentencing hearing remain in place.
Detective Constable Hanna Liddle, of Durham Police, said: “The consequences of Galsinh’s actions will outlast any sentence but having seen the impact of what he has done we believed the sentence should be longer.
“He subjected the girls to an horrendous ordeal and continues to show no remorse for what he has done.
“The girls have been incredibly brave throughout this whole process, and we hope this extension to the sentence will help them as they try to find a way forward with their lives.”
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To report a rape or sexual assault, call Durham Police on 101, or dial 999 in an emergency.
If you’re more comfortable reporting online, you can visit the force’s online reporting page.
If you’re not ready to speak to police, there are other agencies who can help:
The Meadows Sexual Assault Referral Centre provides free, confidential healthcare and compassionate support to people who have experienced rape or sexual assault. Call 0330 223 0099 or visit The Meadows – SARC
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The Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line is available 24/7and provides support for anyone who has been affected by rape or sexual assault. Call 0808 500 2222 or visit 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line
The Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre (RSACC) offers free, specialist support to anyone who has experienced any form of sexual violence at any time in their lives. Call 01325 354119, email info@rsacc-thecentre.org.uk or visit 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line
Catherine Lawlor, viola soloist in the next concert by the Portsmouth Philharmonic, has taken time out of her schedule to give us an exclusive interview detailing her career, Max Bruch’s concerto she will play in and has a word too for departing orchestra leader Colin Wilkins.
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