MIKE Ashley’s Frasers Group last night launched a fresh £111million bid for Mulberry — while fanning doubts about the luxury bag group’s survival chances.

The move came hours after it emerged Frasers had invested £10million in online firm THG’s cash call.

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THG, formerly The Hut Group, raised £95million to fund taking its Ingenuity tech unit private.

Mulberry had rejected Mr Ashley’s previous £83million approach in favour of a £10million fundraising, backed by its biggest ­investor Challice Group, which is controlled by Singapore billionaire Christina Ong.

However, after the London stock market closed yesterday Frasers, which has a 37 per cent stake in Mulberry already, launched a new 150p-a-share approach.

Mulberry is currently valued at £79.9million on the stock market.

Frasers said it had significant reservations that the £10million raised will be enough to support the firm.

Mr Ashley suggested his ownership would “ensure its long-term survival and success”.

He has had hits and misses with investments in rival retailers — notably Matches Fashion, which went into administration.

Meanwhile, THG boss Matt Moulding had another swipe at the London Stock Exchange.

He said: “It’s clear the LSE isn’t a place for a tech/infrastructure business like Ingenuity.”

Power push

SCOTTISH POWER is doubling its investment in Britain from £12billion to £24billion — in a vote of confidence for the country.

The business, owned by Spain’s Iberdrola, plans to upgrade high-voltage cables and build more wind farms to back a Government push to cut UK reliance on gas imports.

Jobs gloomy

THE jobs market has remained in the doldrums over the summer, according to recruiter Hays.

It reported that fees from job placings had dropped by a fifth over the past three months, with permanent jobs slumping the most.

Hays is also cutting its own workforce by another 200 employees.

Good week

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Bad week

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A HOUSE hunter claims a £500,000 London property she was browsing was not a three-storey townhouse – but the “shed” next door.

The property in Hackney, London, demands “offers in excess of £525,000” – despite being a long, slim building of just 545sqft.

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The so-called shed has been converted into one bedroom, one bathroom, a kitchen.

But the property is attached to a large three-storey property that has left some social media users baffled over which home they would be actually buying.

TikTok user Charlotte Moran shared a clip after coming across the bizarre listing captioned, “Hackney has me deceased” – gaining tens of thousands of views.

In the clip, Charlotte points at the bigger property, saying: “I’m looking at this. I thought, wow, look at that house”.

She then points at a tiny white building next to it and shocking adds “no, it’s the shed on the side for half a million pounds.”

Many users have taken to the comments to express that the thought of the shed being for sale at the price is “insane” and even likened the property to a “portacabin”.

But other users have argued that it’s “pretty cheap for Hackney standards”, with one stating: “You’re paying for the potential.”

Listed by Winkworth estate agents, the newly refurbished home promises to be “functional and aesthetically pleasing” as well as offering an “enchanting’” outdoor space – with parking included.

A spokesperson for Winkworth said: “You wouldn’t get that type of house for £525,000.

“Anyone who thinks that doesn’t necessarily know about property in my opinion.

“If it was up to me it’d be slightly less but the potential to go up an extra story and make it into a nice two-story house with a garden.

“It’s attached to another building so effectively you have to take the picture of the whole thing. It’s part of the freehold of that building. You have to show that as well because it is a conversion.

“Considering that’s also part of the same [building] it will be all under the same freehold company you do have to show the building.

“The main benefits are that it’s got a garden, it’s gated, it’s got its own driveway. It’s very close to Clapton station and has been recently refurbished.

“It’s a very sought after area. It’s very central.

“The potential justifies the price. To potentially go up and add an extra story.”

However some househunters on social media were less convinced about the price.

One said: “Somebody needs to tell the estate agent, ‘that is a garage sir’.”

Another said: “Stop it. It’s a portacabin.”

One added: “You could literally buy a mansion up here in Scotland for that, it’s wild.”

Charlotte responded: “Honestly Hackney has gone mad.”

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NEARLY 200,000 hard up families are missing out on up to £442 a year to spend at supermarkets.

The benefit is provided as part of a Government scheme to encourage healthy eating for pregnant mothers and young children.

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An estimated 181,255 households could be due support from the little-known benefit, according to Policy in Practice.

The Healthy Start scheme supports pregnant people and families with young children.

The free cash support available can be used to fund groceries, including fruit, vegetables, and milk.

The scheme, launched in 2006, provides a weekly allowance to help fund healthier eating decisions.

It consists of payments each week of £4.25 for people over 10 weeks pregnant, £8.50 for the first year of a child’s life, and £4.25 for children aged one to four.

Eligibility is based on income levels and entitlement to means-tested
benefits such as Universal Credit.

It’s always worth checking to see if you can claim, as it can be worth up to £442 a year per child.

Eligible households will receive a prepaid card instead of paper vouchers, as was the case previously.

We’ve explained everything you need to know about the Healthy Start scheme below.

Who is eligible?

To receive the Healthy Start card, you must be on one of the following benefits:

• Child tax credits (only if your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less)
• Income support
• Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
• Pension credit (which includes the child addition)
• Universal Credit (only if your family’s take-home pay is £408 or less per month from employment)

You will also be eligible for Healthy Start if:

• You’re under 18 and pregnant, even if you are not claiming any benefits
• You claim income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and are over 10 weeks pregnant
• You, your partner or your carer get working tax credit run-on only after you have reported you’re working 16 hours or less per week

How to apply?

If you get Universal Credit, you can apply online if:

• you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have at least one child under 4 years old
• your family’s monthly ‘take-home pay’ (also called ‘earned income’) is £408 or less from employment

Please note that the details you use to apply for Healthy Start must match the details on your Universal Credit claim.

Go to your Universal Credit account to check:

• your address details, including your postcode
• all of your children are named and verified on your Universal Credit claim

If you get Child Tax Credit, you may be eligible for Healthy Start if:

• your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less
• you do not get Working Tax Credit

Most people who get Child Tax Credit can apply online. You can apply online if you’re either:

• more than 10 weeks pregnant and have children under the age of 4
• not pregnant but have children under the age of 4

If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant and have other children who are all aged 4 or older, you’ll need to apply by email or phone.

To apply online, you’ll need your:

• name
• address
• date of birth
• National Insurance number
• baby’s due date (if you’re pregnant)
• benefit award letter if you’re over 18 – make sure you enter the exact details shown on your benefit award letter

Make sure that your details are up to date with HMRC or DWP – you may wish to contact them to check or update your details before you apply.

Apply at https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/how-to-apply/.

How much will I get?

For each week of your pregnancy from the 10th week, you’ll get £4.25.

From birth to age one, you’ll receive a boosted up £8.50 each week.

Then, from age one to four, the rate returns back to just £4.25 weekly.

That’s as much as £442 worth of free food over the year for each child.

Your money will stop when your child is four years old or if you no longer receive benefits.

How do I access the cash?

Healthy Start money is issued on a prepaid card that you can use in most places where food is sold, including supermarkets such as Aldi, Iceland and Tesco.

You can also swipe it at a number of convenience stores, pharmacies, markets, butchers shops and petrol stations.

If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card which is topped up every four weeks.

You can then swipe it at the tills to get money off your shop.

THIS is the exact date Aldi’s much-anticipated winter gadget returns to stores after selling out – and only costs 6p to run.

The German discounter’s heated airer is set to land in middle aisles up and down the country on Sunday, October 20.

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In recent years the device, that lets you dry your clothing without turning on the central heating or using a tumble dryer, has flown off the shelves.

Brits have also praised the device for helping them warm up their home without breaking the bank.

It comes as many homes across the UK are bracing themselves for another winter of misery, with energy bills set to rise by £149 annually.

Heated airers can save money on your energy bill as it offers a cheaper alternative to drying your clothes on the radiator.

This method can become costly as it requires you to turn on the central heating.

Heated clothes airers are like traditional ones, but you plug them in, with the bars of the dryer heating up.

You can buy covers for some as well, which speeds up the time it takes to dry your clothes.

Aldi‘s heated airer costs could offer a solution for many families as it costs just 6p to run and will set you back £34.99 when it lands in stores.

The large 230W drying device can hold 10kg of washing, including towels and bedding.

You have to plug it in to get the heating effect from the product.

It costs less than 50p for eight hours, this is compared to a 2500W tumble dryer costs which costs about 85p to use for just one hour.

Aldi calculates that under the current price cap where electricity costs on average 22p per kwh, it costs around 6p to run, though the exact cost can vary depending on where you are and how you pay your bill.

If you want to get your hands on one you will have to act quickly, as this product is an Aldi Specialbuy and once it is gone it is gone.

Aldi does not have an online store so you will have to shop in person if you want to get your hands on one.

You can find your nearest Alid by looking at the company’s store locator online.

How does it compare?

Other retailers such as Dunelm and John Lewis sell similar products but they can cost upwards of £100.

If you do not manage to get your hands on one from Aldi do not worry, as The Sun found a very similar product from Amazon for the same price.

The Highlands Electric Heated Clothes Dryer Folding Energy-Efficient Indoor Airer Wet Laundry Drying Horse Rack costs £34.99 and has a 4.3 star rating out of five.

However, you will have to factor in delivery costs as you can only shop for Amazon products online.

How much does it cost to run a heated air dryer?

Aldi claims that this heated airer costs up to 6p to run for an hour.

So if you use it three times a week and keep it on for four hours, that costs just £37.44 over the year.

However, the price of using this device can vary depending on the individual’s usage and the model you have.

You’ll need to consider the specifics of the item, such as the wattage, how much you use it and then the cost of energy at the time.

But the higher the wattage, the more expensive it will be to run.

The cost is also based on the current Ofgem price cap, which currently sits at £1,568.

But it’s set to rise to £1,717 a year, for the average dual fuel bill and based on typical usage, from October 1.

That means there may be a very small increase to the cost. The price will also be different if you’re not one of the 28million on a tariff that’s subject to the price cap.

The equation you need to work out how much a device is costing you to run is: Cost = power (kilowatt) × time (hour) × cost of 1 kWh (pence).

How to save money at Aldi

Unlike other major grocers, Aldi does not have a rewards or point card system but that does not mean you cannot save on your shop. 

Every week the store releases a list of special buys, which are unique bargain products you find online at Aldi and in-store. 

The store releases a fresh range of deals every Thursday and Sunday, so be sure to check regularly to see what’s new. 

Meanwhile, the store also regularly sells fruit and vegetables at highly discounted prices, as part of its ‘super six’ deal.

It also does weekly saving offers on typically pricey items such as meat and fish.

A RARE 50p coin in your change could be worth twenty times more if it has this specific sketched phrase.

The valuable piece was released in 2020 to commemorate the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.

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The 2020 Brexit EU Withdrawal Fifty Pence Silver Proof Coin is the “ideal addition” for any coin collector and is worth far more than its face value.

One of the pieces is currently listed on eBay for £12, with bids still open until Monday afternoon.

That makes it worth more than 20 times its face value.

In September, one of the coins was sold for £10.50.

A month before that, the piece was purchased for £11.50 on eBay.

The special commemorative coin was ordered to mark the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.

Over 10 million were minted by The Royal Mint, stamped with the date of 31 October 2019, which was the planned day of official withdrawal.

However, by late October, minting was paused and subsequently that set of coins were recycled as the leaving date was delayed.

In January 2020, a new series of ‘Brexit’ Fifty Pence coins was released to mark the actual withdrawal date of the UK from the EU with the triggering of Article 50 on 31 January.

However, just 47,000 were made in the special proof presentation.

These 50ps were struck in .925 sterling silver in proof standard, giving it a higher quality finish and greater definition than the normal coins in your change.

Both types of the coin feature a design from The Royal Mint which is inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s first inaugural address.

It reads ‘peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations.’

The head side of the coin features Jody Clark’s official portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, according to The Britannia Coin Company.

This is not the only rare coin out there, however.

Last week, an online coin enthusiast spotted an erroneous £1 coin that could be worth thousands of pounds.

“Bee” £1 coins were first put into general circulation in August this year with three million making their way into tills and pockets.

But an error version of the coin appears to have also entered circulation.

Instead of having an exterior of nickel brass and an interior of nickel-played brass alloy, the rare £1 piece is all one colour.

Change Checker, which writes blogs on rare coins in the UK, said it had not seen the coin previously.

However, it said a similar error coin was released in 2017 that sold for £2,375.

Other £1 error coins have been known to sell for up to £2,500.

Another rare coin, a 2023 50p coin, was recently sold for more than 280 times its face value.

The Atlantic Salmon 50p is the rarest of its type in circulation, with just 200,000 ever being minted.

Yesterday, one of the pieces sold for £142 after an intense 23 bid war on eBay.

TURN over a new leaf to pick up some bargain reads and great rewards.

It’s Bookshop Day and, to mark it, there are lots of free events all over the country.

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Read on for the best deals . . . 

BOOKMARK AN EVENT: Look out for events in bookshops across the country today. From appearances by famous authors to Pokemon swaps, there is a calendar of free events for kids and adults.

Check the events page at waterstones. com and independent bookshops, or follow #BookshopDay or @booksare mybag on social media.

BOOK SEARCH: Looking for your next read? Visit nationalbooktokens.com for lots of recommendations. It’s also a good place to sign up for competitions to win free books or signed copies. To broaden your reading, try goodreads.com and whatshouldireadnext.com.

BOOKS FOR LIFE: This Bookshop Day, you can win a £250 book gift card each year, which will keep you in reads for life and support independent bookshops. Enter at bookshop.org.

STAY IN THE LOOP: Swap unwanted reads for credit to spend at independent bookshops. Find out about buy back service Bookloop at bookshop.org.

LISTEN UP: Audiobook retailer and app, libro.fm, which shares profits with independent bookshops, is running a sale on bestselling audiobooks until tomorrow. Seven hours of Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows is down from £7.67 to £4.56.

DOUBLE STAMPS: To celebrate the joy of bookshops, Waterstones and Foyles will offer double stamps to loyalty card holders in all their shops today. Not a member? You can sign up for free today and start collecting stamps immediately.

With Waterstones Plus you get a stamp for every £10 you spend and when you have ten stamps you get £10 to spend in Waterstones shops, cafes and online. So, spend a tenner today and you’ll get two stamps.

• All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.

Deal of the day

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FIND a fun frock in Oliver Bonas’s mid-season sale. This floral metallic stripe green midi dress is down from £95 to £33.

SAVE: £62

Cheap treat

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GIVE a bedroom an autumn uplift with this joyful pink and green candy-stripe duvet set from Asda, from £12 for a single.

WHAT’S NEW

PETS At Home is getting in the spooky spirit with Halloween-inspired My Pet Pals workshops this weekend, next weekend and from October 26 to November 3. Book on the store’s website.

Top swap

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FOR cosy toes, slip your feet into these suede flatform boots from M&S, above, £45, or step out in the mini snug boots from Matalan, below, £10.

SAVE: £35

Shop & save

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YOU can get the Disney Singing Moana fashion doll for £21.99 at very.co.uk, down from £29.99.

SAVE: £8

LITTLE HELPER

USE your Tesco Clubcard to get a cut-price Indian meal for two. Includes two curries, six onion bhajis, pilau rice and two naans for £7, down from £8.50.

HOT RIGHT NOW

BUY one tin of Crown or Dulux paint at Homebase and get another half-price.

PLAY NOW TO WIN £200

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JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle.

Every month we’re giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers – whether you’re saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered.

Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket.

The more codes you enter, the more tickets you’ll earn and the more chance you will have of winning!