A BUDGET supermarket has launched whopping XXL pigs in blankets for Christmas – and it’s not Aldi or Lidl.

The big day is still 63 days away, but it’s always good to plan ahead for the merry season and get the seasonal food in.

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With Christmas fast approaching, Iceland has released its Pigs in Blankets range – and it doesn’t disappoint.

The 2 XXL Footlong Pigs in Blankets have stolen the show however – and by the reaction of a similar product at Iceland, customers won’t be able to get enough of them.

One reviewer on the similar item said: “The whole family loved these, really succulent sausages, really good value for money and so tasty!”

Another commented: “Amazing! Proper sausages wrapped in ridiculous amount of bacon!”

And: “A lot bigger than I thought it would be and a very nice taste and easy to cook. Would recommend to anyone who can’t resist a good pig in blanket.”

But the price is just as impressive, selling for only £5 for two.

And there appears to be nothing else on the market similar.

The range also has an incredible Pig in Blanket Giant Baked Yorkshire Pudding that would be a crowd-pleaser at the Christmas dinner table for just £5.

And a Pinwheel Pig in Blanket that’s £5 is also available if you fancy something different to the conventional pigs in blankets.

But for those looking for the normal ones, various options will be available that range from £2.25 to £4.

Iceland recently revealed it’s Christmas 2024 range that will be available in stores and online from November 12.

The items will also be available to buy at Iceland’s The Food Warehouse.

Iceland‘s menu this year offers customers everything they’ll need for Christmas lunch or dinner, but there are some quirky items included as well in case you’re after something a bit different.

Shoppers will be able to feast on mini fish, chip and ketchup sarnies, prawn tacos and an unbelievable XXL pigs in blankets Yorkshire pudding.

The supermarket is also launching battered lobster tails, mini garlic and herb kievs and even some exclusive brands items like Harry Ramsden’s battered mini sausages.

Also returning are familiar favourites such as the turkey crown, mince pies, Christmas pudding and of course all the trimmings like roast potatoes and veg.

Those who want to feast on the exclusive brands range like Galaxy, TGI Fridays and Harry Ramsden’s can do so with the mix-and-match deals like three items for £10.

Iceland’s head of development David Lennox said: “We’ve focused on perfecting the classics and making them the best and most delicious yet, as well as offering our customers a range of innovative and affordable new Christmas products which are sure to delight everyone at the dinner table.

“Iceland has some extra special products on offer this festive season.”

And here’s the full list of festive items Iceland shoppers can get their hands on.

Iceland is yet to confirm some of the prices so keep your eyes peeled when you visit its stores later this year.

Christmas traditional favourites:

• Iceland Xmas Dinner in a box – £25.00
• Iceland Battered Lobster Tails – £20.00
• Butterball Turkeys – £35.00
• Iceland Beef Wellington – £26.00
• Iceland Ultimate XL Cooked Lobster – £15.00
• Iceland Pigs in Blanket Pinwheel – £5.00

Exclusive Brands Party:

• TGI Fridays Loaded Fries X2 Flavours – £5.00
• Harry Ramsden’s Battered Mini Sausages 16 Pack with Chip Shop Curry Sauce – £4.00 (3 for £5)
• TGI Fridays Hunters Chicken Potato Bites – £4.00

Luxury Party: 

• Iceland Doughball Xmas Tree – £4.00
• Iceland Mini Cottage Pies / PiBS Yorkshire Puddings – £4.00
• Iceland Prawn Tacos – £4.00
• Mini Lemon Meringue Pies – £4.00

Innovation products:

• Iceland Beechwood Smoked Treacle Gammon – £14.00
• Iceland Lobster Thermidor – £15.00
• Iceland Pigs in Blanket Yorkshire Pudding XXL – £4.00
• Iceland Hunters Pigs in Blankets – £4.00 (3 for £10)
• Iceland White Chocolate Snowman – £8.00
• Luxury Mince Pies – £2.75
• Iceland Lemon Meringue Baked Alaska – £6
• Iceland Mini King Prawn Ring – £2.50
• Iceland Chicken Nugget Lollipops – £2.50
• Iceland Spring Roll Platter – £6.00
• Iceland Cheesy Potato Swirls – £1.00
• Iceland Potato Trees and Stars – £1.00
• Iceland Duck Skewer with Hoisin Sauce – £4.00
• Iceland Mini Cheesecake/ Cake Selections – £4.00

Buy Two, Get One Free Party Food: 

• Iceland Mini Fish & Chip Butty – £2.50
• Iceland Crispy Duck Nuggets – £2.50
• Iceland 8pk Mini Orange Choc Ices – £2.50
• Iceland Choc Hazelnut Churro Bites – £2.50
• Iceland Onion Bhaji Rings – £2.50

Embrace picky bits – Greggs and TGI Fridays: 

• TGI Fridays Coated Skewer with Tennessee Glaze and Sesame – £4.00
• TGI Fridays Cookie Cups – £4.00
• TGI Fridays Mini Ribs – £4.00 (3 for £10)
• Greggs 16 Pack Mini Sausage Rolls – £4.00

Desserts and Bakery:

• Iceland Ultimate Raspberry & Vanilla Macaron Wreath 575g- £10.00
• Galaxy Caramel Fondue Cheesecake – £12.00
• Daily Bakery Cinnamon / Chocolate Wreath – £5.00
• Galaxy Caramel Salted Chocolate Bar – £8.00

Veggie and Vegan:

• Iceland 15 Pack Vegetable Spring Rolls – £1.00
• Iceland 16 Pack Onion Bhajis – £1.00
• Iceland 16 Pack Vegetable Samosas – £1.00
• Iceland 10 Pack Mozzarella Balls – £1.00
• Iceland 10 Pack Mac ‘N’ Cheese Bites – £1.00
• Iceland 12 Battered Salt and Pepper Vegetable Spring Rolls -£2.50
• Iceland 16 Pack Mozzarella Sticks – £2.50
• Iceland Jalapeno Cream Cheese – £2.50
• Iceland 10 Pack Brie Wedges – £2.50
• Iceland 14 Pack Cheese & Garlic Bites – £2.50
• Luxury 4 Pack Camembert Rounds with Cranberry Sauce – £3.50
• Luxury 12 Pack Halloumi Fries – £3.50
• Iceland 80 Pack Indian Platter – £6.00
• TGI Fridays Mozzarella Sticks (FWH) – £3.50
• TGI Fridays 6 Pack Southern Fried Mozzarella XL Dippers – £3.50
• Cathedral City 12 Pack Cheese Bites – £3.75
• TGI Fridays Battered Cheese Toastie – £4.00
• Cathedral City Cheddar with Caramelised Onion – £3.75
• Cathedral City Cheddar with Triple Cheese Bite – £3.75
• TGI Fridays Bacon Mac Cheese Bites – £3.75
• TGI Fridays Jalapeno Poppers – £4.00
• Cathedral City Mac n Cheese Bites – £3.75
• Mozzarella sticks 60 Pack – £6.00
• No Meat No Meat Turkey Roast (vegan offering)
• No Porkies 6 Pack Sausage Roll (vegan offering)
• Iceland Vegan Mac & Cheese Bites (vegan offering)

If you are keen to snap up some of the items from Iceland’s Christmas range, most of its stores are usually open from 7am or 8am until 7pm, and in some cities, they are open until 9pm.

However, hours might vary depending on where you are in the country.

You can find your nearest Iceland store by using the store locator tool on its website.

See what’s on Tesco’s shelves this Christmas including pigs in blankets stuffing.

Plus you can pick up items from posh shop Fortnum and Mason from just £3.50.

A TERRACED house with a garden and garage has hit the market for just £10 – but there’s a catch.

The property is located in the stunning Welsh Valleys in the quaint village of Tylorstown.

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But the tiny £10 guide price is explained by the house’s decrepit interior, with scrap furniture piled high and walls stripped of their plaster.

The house, which is barely more than skeleton, is generously described by auctioneers as “open plan”.

And while it won’t be for the faint-hearted, it could be the perfect fixer-upper for keen profit hunters.

The property boasts a forecourt, rear garden and garage and is near a host of cafes, shops and restaurants in the bustling town of Ferndale.

Sean Roper, who works for Paul Fosh Auctions, believes it has the potential to fit two or even three bedrooms once renovated.

He added that the property had been “stripped back ready for upgrading and improvement” – and that the right buyer will “transform” it into a “comfortable and generously sized” abode.

It is conveniently situation four miles from Porth train station and a 45-minute drive from Cardiff.

Those interested will need to move fast as the auction will only run for just over 48 hours – beginning on November 5 and closing on November 7 at 5pm.

It comes after another Welsh property hit the market for a staggering £0.

But, much like the Tylorstown house, it was in dire need of a makeover, having been destroyed by a fire.

Meanwhile, prospective buyers this week spotted that an entire street was up for sale – including 12 terraced houses.

It didn’t come cheap, though – with starting bids set at an eye-watering £1.5 million.

Home shoppers have also been presented with a flurry of properties with quirky interior features – like a quaint cottage in Dover with its very own cave.

And a two-bed property in the West Midlands concealed a more unsettling secret – with a mountain of junk and abandoned belongings inside.

Inside UK’s ‘worst’ hoarder house

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MUMMIFIED cats were found by cleaners who were sent to clean a house stuffed to the rafters.

In fact, the Lancashire house was so cluttered cleaners needed a ladder to climb through a second-storey window to reach the upper floor.

It took cleaners 45 hours to clean the house from all the rubbish, in a “worst-case” of hoarding they had ever seen, using dozens of skips.

The teams were tasked with clearing the home after the homeowner, a man in his 70s, had died.

Much of the house was jam-packed full of old phone equipment as the man wanted start a phone exchange business, which is where the hoarding began in the 1990s.

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“Over the years he collected mounds of telecom technology. He began storing these telecom artifacts in containers.

“Then, when they were full he began filling under the floorboards,” a Blanchards spokesperson said.

The only space in the house was an armchair next to the cats, where the man spent all of his time.

The man had a hoarding disorder after analysis of the trash revealed he had been unable to throw anything away for upwards of three decades.

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By James Halpin

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THOUSANDS of vulnerable households could get free cash and energy saving appliances this winter.

Gadgets such as air-fryers and heated blankets are now being given out by charities to people who are struggling with their energy bills.

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This comes as The Cadent Foundation launches a £2million Emergency Support Fund in time for the colder months.

The fund has now been distributed between its many charity partners, including Citizens Advice and Groundwork, as well as other smaller charities across the UK.

Each charity is using a slice of the funding to give out the gadgets, food vouchers and energy vouchers to help households struggling with fuel poverty.

The amount of money you can get is not specific and depends on the charity you’re talking to,.

Households can also claim heating and cooking appliances which use little energy so cost less money to run – saving them crucial cash on their monthly bill.

The boost will be available until March, and each household can receive up to two vouchers as well as the appliances they need.

The fund is specifically designed for people who are already in connection with a charity.

If you are currently seeking help it is therefore a good idea to check whether yours is benefiting from the scheme so you can too.

Once you have contacted them, they will distribute help the best they can with the following items:

• Food vouchers
• Energy vouchers
• Slow Cookers
• Air Fryers
• Self-heating mattress toppers
• Duvets
• Heated blankets
• Foot warmers
• Mini ovens
• Microwaves

Ranjit Blythe, managing director of the Cadent Foundation, said: “It’s a mistake for anyone to think that the cost of living crisis is over and we’ve seen, first hand, through all our projects, the impact of fuel poverty on the most vulnerable.

“With the recent price cap changes and removal of the Winter Fuel Allowance for many pensioners, we’re worried that those who may have just about managed last year, will now be tipped into fuel poverty.”

Those who are in touch with a charity and have recently lost their winter fuel payment could particularly benefit from the fund, so we advise they seek help where it is available.

Here’s the full list of charities handing out the latest help in each area.

North West:

• Blackpool Coastal Housing – Blackpool CH tenants
• Care Network (Blackburn and Darwen)
• Energy Project Plus (Wallasey)
• Citizens Advice (Burnley, Knowsley, Liverpool)
• Groundwork (West Lancashire, East Lancashire, Liverpool, Merseyside, Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale, Blackburn, Blackpool and Flyde Coast, South Lakeland, Barrow-in-Furness, Greater Manchester)

West Mids:

Citizens Advice (Birmingham, Sandwell)

• Groundwork (Birmingham, Coventry, Black Country, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke, Herefordshire)
• Wrekin Housing Association (Shropshire, Staffordshire, Telford, Wrekin) – only Wrekin tenants
• Act on Energy (Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, Warwickshire, Wolverhampton, Worcestershire)

East Mids:

• Nottingham Energy Partnership (Nottinghamshire)
• Citizens Advice (Lincoln)
• Groundwork (Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire – Barnsley, Rotherham, Sheffield)

East of England:

• Citizens Advice (Norwich, Ipswich)
• Groundwork (Braintree, Colchester)

North London:

• Renewal Programme (Newham)
• Groundwork (Newham, Hounslow, Thames Valley, Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, Harrow, Hillingdon/Hayes, Brent, Barnet, Maidenhead, South Bucks)

What is the winter fuel payment and who is eligible?

The winter fuel payment is issued to state pensioners on certain benefits to help cover the cost of hiked up energy bills over the colder season.

Previously, the winter fuel payment was available to anyone of state pension age, which is currently 66, but this autumn the government scrapped the scheme for millions.

Now pensioners must also be in receipt of pension credit or certain other means-tested benefits to qualify for the payment.

The payment will be made automatically to eligible bank accounts in November or December, so you do not need to apply.

It is important that if you are a pensioner and struggling to heat your home this winter you still turn it on, and reach out for financial support.

Other support available for pensioners and struggling households

If you fall into debt, many suppliers have grant schemes for struggling customers who can’t afford their bills.

For example, British Gas has set aside over £140 million this winter to help both customers and non-customers through its Individuals and Families Support Fund.

There are conditions to apply, and how much you can get depends on your circumstance – so it’s worth reading over the conditions on the website.

Octopus Energy is also offering discretionary credit of between £50 and £200 to pensioners this winter.

It has also promised it will distribute 20,000 electric blankets from Dreamland to its most vulnerable customers.

You can also get in touch with your council and see what help is available through the Household Support Fund.

This government scheme operates through your constituency and can get you free grants, electric blankets and white goods replacements.

To find out what help is available, visit its website and search “Household Support Fund”.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

CHOCOHOLICS are in despair as Aldi confirms it has axed a popular chocolate treat.

The news came after a frustrated shopper inquired about its disappearance on X, formerly Twitter.

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The poster wrote: “Please don’t say that you have discontinued the Moser Roth vegan blonde chocolate??”

The fan favourite, part of Aldi‘s chocolate line Moser Roth, is a white organic cocoa bar made with rice powder and almond paste.

The 100g bars, which are sold out on the Aldi website, sold for £1.49 each.

The poster added: “There are literally forums dedicated to how amazing this chocolate is. Everyone is trying to get hold of it…. Please bring this back!”

An Aldi spokesperson replied to the disgruntled vegan, confirming that the chocolate had indeed been permanently removed from supermarket shelves.

The comment read: “We can confirm this product has been discontinued. We will certainly pass on the love for this product back to the relevant team.”

However, the original poster was left unsatisfied, adding: “Aldi was building a really good reputation for vegan and free-from — but unfortunately in the last 6 months or so that’s no longer the case with more products disappearing.

“Tesco has sadly now taken over this crown.”

To this, the spokesperson reiterated that they were “sorry again for any disappointment caused”.

The update comes after the budget supermarket chain was also forced to axe its much-loved Salted Caramel teabags, which scanned for just 69p a pack.

In response the news, one devastated customer wrote: “OMG, NO! Year ruined, they were unreal!”

Bargain-hunters were also gutted to hear that Aldi’s frozen lemon and lime slices had been discontinued too.

And, the coconut flavoured Dairyfine Spirals, similar to Kinder Buenos, have been permanently axed.

When contacted by the Sun, an Aldi spokesperson said: “We continually review our range of products to make sure we’re meeting the needs of Aldi shoppers.”

Why are products axed or recipes changed?

ANALYSIS by chief consumer reporter James Flanders has revealed some of the reasons why products are axed or their recipes changed.

Food and drinks makers have been known to tweak their recipes or axe items altogether.

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They often say that this is down to the changing tastes of customers.

There are several reasons why this could be done.

For example, government regulation, like the “sugar tax,” forces firms to change their recipes.

Some manufacturers might choose to tweak ingredients to cut costs.

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They may opt for a cheaper alternative, especially when costs are rising to keep prices stable.

For example, Tango Cherry disappeared from shelves in 2018.

It has recently returned after six years away but as a sugar-free version.

Fanta removed sweetener from its sugar-free alternative earlier this year.

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Suntory tweaked the flavour of its flagship Lucozade Original and Orange energy drinks.

While the amount of sugar in every bottle remains unchanged, the supplier swapped out the sweetener aspartame for sucralose.

Sales of existing homes fell in September as house hunters remained on the fence about buying a home despite mortgage rates easing during the month.

Existing home sales slipped 1.0% from August’s tally to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.84 million, the National Association of Realtors said Wednesday. That marked the lowest rate since October 2010. Economists polled by Bloomberg expected a pace of 3.88 million in September.

On a yearly basis, sales of previously owned homes were 3.5% lower in September. The median home price rose 3.0% from last September to $404,500, marking the 15th consecutive month of annual price increases.

“Home sales have been essentially stuck at around a 4 million-unit pace for the past 12 months,” NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said in a press release.

There have been significant challenges that have weighed on sales activity, including a lack of inventory, escalating prices, and elevated mortgage rates. Last month, however, those factors turned around.

The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark rate by half a percentage point in September. While the central bank doesn’t set mortgage rates, its actions influence their direction of movement.

Mortgage rates hit the lowest level since February 2023 ahead of the Fed decision to ease, while listing inventory picked up.

But overall, that hasn’t been enough to entice buyers.

“Some consumers are hesitating about moving forward with a major expenditure like purchasing a home before the upcoming election,” Yun said.

Tesla (TSLA) reported mixed third quarter results after the bell on Wednesday, but the stock jumped in after-hours trading as investors cheered the earnings beat, higher gross margins, and news that Tesla’s cheaper EV is on track for production next year.

For the quarter, Tesla reported revenue of $25.18 billion vs. $25.4 billion per Bloomberg consensus, higher than the $25.05 billion it reported in Q2 and also topping the $23.40 billion Tesla reported a year ago. Tesla posted adjusted EPS of $0.72 vs $0.60 expected, on adjusted net income of $2.5 billion and free cash flow of $2.9 billion.

The closely watched gross margin figure came in at 19.8%, much higher than the 16.8% expected.

Tesla shares were up nearly 8% in after hours trade.

“We delivered strong results in Q3 with growth in vehicle deliveries both sequentially and year-on-year, resulting in record third-quarter volumes,” the company said in its earnings deck. “Preparations remain underway for our offering of new vehicles — including more affordable models — which we will begin launching in the first half of 2025.”

Earlier this month, Tesla (TSLA) announced third quarter deliveries that slightly missed expectations, sending the stock lower.

Tesla said it delivered 462,890 vehicles in Q3, up 6.4% quarter over quarter, to mark the first quarter of delivery growth this year. The numbers also came in ahead of the 435,059 EVs the company delivered in the year-ago period. But Wall Street had expected Tesla to deliver closer to 463,897, according to Bloomberg.

“Refreshed Model 3 ramp continued successfully in Q3 with higher total production and lower cost of goods sold quarter-over-quarter. Cybertruck production increased sequentially and achieved a positive gross margin for the first time,” Tesla said in its report.

Tesla said it expects vehicle deliveries to achieve “slight growth” in 2024.

Ahead of Tesla’s Q3 disclosure, shares were down approximately 11% since Tesla revealed its robotaxi, dubbed the Cybercab, at its showy “We, Robot” event from the Warner Bros. studio lot in Burbank, Calif., on Oct. 10.

The debut and release of a cheaper EV is what many analysts and industry watchers believe will spur the next leg higher of EV sales, as even CEO Elon Musk has said before. During its Q2 report, Tesla and Musk said the company remains on track for the production of new vehicles, likely including a cheaper EV, in the first half of next year.

Investors and analysts were left wanting more details from Tesla’s “We, Robot” event on the Cybercab itself and detailed testing plans, along with questions about the development of Tesla’s sub-$30,000 EV, dubbed the Model 2.

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