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Templegate’s ‘overpriced’ Oaks tip, 1-2-3 prediction and complete runner-by-runner guide to £570,000 Epsom Classic
TEMPLEGATE delivers his complete guide, tip and 1-2-3 prediction for the awesome Epsom Oaks below.
Nine of the finest three-year-old fillies in the land go to post for the prestigious Group 1 run over 1m4f.
He goes through each of the runners, rates them out of five stars and delivers his big-race tip at the bottom.
Aidan O’Brien has dominated the Classic trials – but one legendary jockey reckons this Oaks runner is an absolute good thing.
Back any horse you fancy by clicking their odds below and check out the all-important draw.
The action will be live on ITV1 at 4pm Friday.
Epsom Derby 2025 free bets: Best new sign up offers – HERE
Templegate’s Oaks runner-by-runner guide and ratings
DESERT FLOWER 4
FLOWER in bloom. Charlie Appleby’s filly has yet to taste defeat in five starts and kept that run going with a smooth success in the 1,000 Guineas on comeback.
She was a brilliant juvenile and took the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile by five lengths after the May Hill at Donny.
There’s little doubt she’s the best filly in the race with stamina the only question mark.
She wasn’t stopping at Newmarket and isn’t a keen sort so isn’t likely to pull her chance away.
At first glance, her breeding does seem to scream a mile and the softish ground may play to more of a stayer.
Despite that her class will take her close under William Buick who is a big-race jockey.
ELWATEEN 5
TEEN dream. We have only seen this daughter of Dubawi twice but she has created a big impression.
She won at Kempton on debut in August before Saeed Bin Suroor put her away.
Her next outing was a really promising fourth in the 1,000 Guineas where she was definitely doing her best work in the closing stages.
She was a little green when the pace hotted up and she will have learned plenty before being supplemented for this test.
Her dam stayed 1m2f strongly in soft ground so there’s every chance she’ll relish this trip.
Saeed is something of a forgotten trainer these days but he’s got two Oaks wins from his halcyon days so knows what it takes to win.
GISELLE 3
ELLE of a filly. She only had two rivals to beat in the Lingfield Oaks Trial on comeback last month but did it by nine easy lengths.
She handled the track so should be fine at Epsom too. She is one of the few in the field who has no stamina doubts and there’s a lot more to come.
She scored on dead ground as a juvenile and has a lively each-way chance for Aidan O’Brien.
GO GO BOOTS 2
KICK off Boots. Considering Oisin Murphy is on board for the Gosdens, she is big price for all she has a bit to find on form.
Her third in the Musidora at York last time was far from a disgrace.
She looked very much a work in progress on the Knavesmire and ran around a bit in the closing stages.
That’s not what you want to see before tackling tricky Epsom and she looks more suited to the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot next month.
MINNIE HAUK 3
HAUK has to fly. Ryan Moore’s choice of the Aidan O’Brien trio crossed the line with plenty left when winning the Cheshire Oaks on comeback.
She will definitely come on for that run and is guaranteed to see out the extra furlong here.
Handling Chester often means Epsom will be fine too.
On the negative side, she didn’t beat a lot on the Roodee so will need to fine more form-wise although O’Brien runners often take a big step up for a run.
QILIN QUEEN 2
QUEEN won’t be crowned. She is progressing nicely for Ed Walker and battled all the way to win a Newbury Listed race last time.
That was on the nod from Revoir who also lines up today.
That was over 1m2f when she went from the front and just held on so stamina may be an issue.
Either way, it’s a fair leap to be winning a Classic on current form.
REVOIR 3
REVVED up. The line came a stride too soon when she finished second to Qilin Queen at Newbury last time but Ralph Beckett’s filly looks a hotter prospect.
She came home strongly so should be suited by this step up in distance and has improvement to come after just two starts.
In-form Beckett’s fillies often come on significantly for a run and she’s right in the each-way picture.
WEMIGHTAKEDLONGWAY 2
WAY out. Add an extra star if the ground is riding genuinely soft as she relished testing conditions when winning a Navan Group 3 over 1m2f last time.
That was a big improvement on her effort in the Ballysax on comeback where she looked a mile off Oaks standard.
She has a fair bit to find on form so needs that downpour.
WHIRL 4
GIVE it a Whirl. She may yet prove to be the best of the Aidan O’Brien runners after her easy Musidora win at York last time.
That has been a useful pointer to the Oaks and she had lots of running left at the end of 1m2f so stamina shouldn’t be an issue.
She seems to handle any ground and looks capable of improvement under Wayne Lordan.
Templegate’s Oaks tip and 1-2-3 prediction
SAEED Bin Suroor has got an El of a chance in the £570,000 Betfred Oaks.
ELWATEEN (4.00 Epsom, nap) caught the eye with a staying-on fourth in the 1,000 Guineas and can blossom over this longer trip.
She won’t mind a bit of cut in the ground and can go close at decent odds under Jim Crowley.
Desert Flower showed her class when winning the Guineas at Newmarket and will be hard to beat if lasting home — which isn’t guaranteed on pedigree.
Ryan Moore has chosen Minnie Hauk of the Aidan O’Brien trio but there isn’t much between her, Giselle and Whirl who all have each-way chances.
1st Elwateen
2nd Desert Flower
3rd Whirl
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Vicious XL Bully ripped man’s EAR off after pouncing while he slept leaving him with horror injuries – as woman arrested
A MAN had his ear ripped off by a vicious XL Bully – after the banned breed pounced on him while he was asleep.
Darren Shuttleworth-Long was brutally attacked by the dog, which he was looking after, after he fell asleep on April 26.
To his horror, the 52-year-old awoke to discover the dog’s jaw locked underneath his armpit.
Pancaking, Darren managed to get the dog off him but the hound came back for more and launched a second attack on him.
During the second attack the XL Bully bit Darren’s right ear, ripping it off.
Darren finally struggled away from the out of control dog and was rushed to hospital.
He spent three days recovering from the horror attack in the ICU (intensive care unit) at Bristol’s Southmead Hospital.
Darren is currently waiting to have his ear reconstructed with plastic surgery.
Wiltshire Police have confirmed that a 24-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury.
She has been released on bail pending further inquiries while police probe the horrific attack.
Darren, from Swindon, Wiltshire, said: “I went to sleep and had the dog asleep next to me.
“I woke up and it had latched on the side of me. I managed to move it off.
“It attacked me again and hit me on the side.
“I crashed against the bedroom door and locked myself in with the dog.
“He was having a go on my right ear. He bit my ear off.
“He hit me about eight to ten times – I thought ‘I’m in serious trouble‘.”
Darren says the attack was unprovoked and lasted for an agonising ten minutes before he was luckily able to escape the dog.
He added: “My whole right side of my face was numb. There was blood everywhere.
“It was pouring out of me. It was like a horror movie. My whole face was covered in blood. Half my nose was hanging off.”
After arriving in hospital he had what was left of his savaged ear stitched up.
He said: “The tissue had to come off – there was nothing to attach it to.”
He has since been recovering from the attack and now struggles with going out.
He said: “I can’t go anywhere near big dogs now.
“It’s a long lasting stress that will be there for the rest of my life.
“Dogs barking sends cold chills through me.”
Darren is currently waiting for the soft tissue left on his ear to harden before he can have an appointment with a plastic surgeon to look at reconstruction.
Which dog breeds are banned in the UK?
THERE are specific regulations in place that prohibit certain dog breeds from being owned or bred in the UK.
So what are the illegal dogs in the UK and why are they illegal? Here’s what we know.
Which dog breeds are illegal in the UK?
People tend to think of large, vicious dogs when they imagine being bitten by one.
But the truth is that many types of dogs are known to bite humans, whether provoked or not.
However, it’s important to remember that just because a breed tends to bite humans, that doesn’t mean that they all do.
British law determines five breeds of dog are illegal to own, breed, sell or give away.
These are an XL Bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro.
My mum abandoned me and gave me to a cult – we were fed LSD, beaten, bleached & waterboarded to keep us under control
BEN Shenton was just 18 months old when his mother gave him up to a well-spoken blonde woman who swore she’d give him the best life possible.
Little did she know her decision would put Ben through years of abuse at the hands of a woman who believed she was Jesus Christ reborn.
Images of Ben show a happy young boy, but the reality was entirely different – as the youngster was forced to become part of a notorious cult known as ‘The Family’.
Anne Hamilton-Byrne, who Ben would grow up to know as his mother, became the leader of the cult based in Australia, which drugged and beat him.
He had no idea of his life before Anne, as she went to great lengths to keep his adoption a secret, even bleaching his hair platinum blond like hers and his new ‘siblings’.
Despite abusing more than 20 children, including Ben, Anne and her husband and cult co-leader, Bill Hamilton-Byrne, never faced justice.
Now, over four decades on from the abuse, Ben shares his story of growing up in the “Kai Lama” compound, where children were locked in with barbed wire and tortured.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Anne first started out as a yoga teacher before turning to a more ‘spiritual life’ and eventually believing she was Jesus Christ reincarnated.
She was born with the name Evelyn and had three marriages in total – the first coming to an end when her husband died in a car crash, which led to her ‘spiritual awakening.’
She met English physicist Dr Raynor Johnson in 1963 and the following year, they set up a group dedicated to spreading a surreal combination of Christianity and Hinduism, with Hamilton-Byrne at its centre.
Her final husband, Bill, became the person who led the doomsday cult with her in the 1960s, when the world faced existential threats like nuclear warfare, the Vietnam War and the spread of communism.
Anne was able to rope people into the cult through yoga lessons, meetings at her house once a week, and then three times a week, until she built the compound on land near her house for them to move into.
Anne came across as beautiful, well-spoken and nurturing, so it’s no surprise Ben’s mum was easily convinced he’d have a better life with her.
Ben said Anne manipulated his mother into giving him up in 1970, convincing her that ‘only she could give me the best life possible’.
The pair consistently preyed on vulnerable people like Ben’s mum, Joy, who had suffered a back injury and felt she could not look after him anymore.
They also started recruiting people into their cult by approaching patients from Newhaven Hospital in Kew, a private psychiatric facility run and operated by various members of The Family, who targeted vulnerable patients, subjecting them to heavy doses of LSD and electroshock therapy.
She and husband Hamilton-Byrne took children through illegal adoptions, allowing the cult to grow in numbers before imprisoning them in a strict home-schooling environment at a rural property near Eildon in Victoria.
Using lawyers, social workers, and doctors to forgo official channels, they were able to forge birth documents and raise over a dozen children to believe they were the birth children of the Hamilton-Byrnes.
When children were born inside the compound to cult members, they were raised to believe their birth mothers were instead among a handful of “aunts”, who gave out brutal punishments for whatever they saw fit.
PICTURE PERFECT FAMILY
From the outside, the family looked picture-perfect as they lived on their compound in Victoria, Australia.
Life at Kai Lama seemed healthy and even advanced for its years; it featured yoga, exercise, vegetarian meals, meditation and education.
Ben lived on the remote property and was raised alongside dozens of other children for 13 years and recalls living with 28 other kids at one point.
“Growing up, it was Anne and Bill, they were mum and dad; and then there were foster kids, and they were kids of other sect members, who would either come up on weekends or stay there for stints of a couple of years,” Ben, told the BBC.
“The greatest amount of kids at any given stage was 28,” he added.
Anne and Bill brought up the children as their own, even dressing them in matching outfits and dying their hair bleach blond to appear like a real family.
I loved them in their little smocks and jeans and the long hair and ribbons.
Anne Hamilton-Byrne
“We were her children. We were different ages. We’d line up von Trapp style (like) The Sound of Music, which we’d watch, dressed in outfits that matched and that was just what we were asked to do,” he told the True Crimes Conversation podcast.
“You look back on that and you see it’s choreographed.
“It crafted a belief that she had these children, which she didn’t. We were all either adopted or handed over.”
In an interview years after the children were finally taken from her, Anne said: “I wanted them to look like brothers and sisters – I must admit this.
“I loved them in their little smocks and jeans and the long hair and ribbons. It was beautiful – it was lovely to see.”
Asked why she imprisoned 28 children over two decades, she responded: ‘I love children.’
UNDER WRAPS
But in reality, the children were subjected to years of beatings, mind games, isolation, and forced to take drugs by the cult leader, who had convinced more than 500 people she was Jesus Christ.
The couple had convinced their followers they were making a ‘master race’ while teaching a mixture of Christianity and Hinduism.
Ben recalls one form of torture Anne liked to perform on the children was waterboarding.
It’s a method of torture that creates such horrific psychological pain that its use has even been banned in the US military.
“We were all lined up. We were belted. Our head held under the bucket of water, interrogated,” he said.
“Held there until you thought you were suffocating, brought back out again.
“Horrendous experience. It caused nightmares.
“These things shape your personality.”
Ben recalls seeing his siblings being beaten with a belt, and says they were given LSD ‘as part of an initiation ritual.’
“I was watching her being belted with a buckle and she’s being beaten to the point where she’s wriggling out of her clothes,” he said of his sister, Sarah.
“Hearing her body smash across the balustrades – it was horrendous to know they had the power to do that and would do it,” he told the MailOnline.
She had this ability to be able to be so warm, so loving, so caring, and yet at the same time so manipulative.
Ben Shenton
Ben says Anne’s most effective tactic was to keep the children from forming bonds with each other to keep them all in line.
To weed out misdeeds in the children, Anne would perform group interrogations by beating them until someone came clean. Ben said he stayed compliant to avoid punishment.
“This was the evil genius of her. She understood that if she could separate us, isolate us, make it so that we couldn’t build relationships with one another and punish us, then she could control us,” he said.
“Anyone who’s lived under domestic violence will know the living with fear, the walking on eggshells, the currying favour of those in authority, or the absolute rejection of them, the hatred of them, the love-hate relationship.
“It’s domestic abuse on steroids,” he said.
Now, Ben believes Anne was a sociopath or psychopath.
“She had this ability to be able to be so warm, so loving, so caring, and yet at the same time so manipulative,” he said.
'The Family' Cult Timeline
- 1968 The Family begins to ‘adopt’ and acquire children to create a ‘master race’.
- 1974 An official school is set up for the ‘master race’ children at the Lake Eildon property.
- 1978 Anne Hamilton marries William (Bill) Byrne and they take the surname Hamilton-Byrne.
- 1983 Police visit the Lake Eildon property to search for a missing girl. She is not found on the property.
- 1987 (14 August) Combined police raid on sect property at Lake Eildon. Anne is overseas. Bill is present at the raid but is not charged.
- The children are removed from the sect and placed into care.
- 1987 (Oct/Nov) Bill flees to Hawaii to meet Anne.
- 1987 (12 December) Detective Lex de Man is called to investigate. He learns about The Family.
- 1989 (about June) Lex de Man writes a report recommending Victoria Police commence a criminal investigation into The Family.
- 1989 (11 December) Operation Forest Task Force commences.
- 1993 (4 June) Anne and Bill are arrested in the Catskill Mountains, Upstate New York.
- 1993 (17 August) Anne and Bill are extradited to Australia.
- 1993 (31 August) Anne and Bill appear in the Victorian Magistrates’ Court, charged with conspiracy to defraud and commit perjury by falsely registering the births of triplets.
- 1994 In the County Court, Anne and Bill avoid prison and are fined $5000 each.
- 2001 Bill dies, leaving Anne to lead a diminishing group of followers.
- 2019 At 97, Anne lives in the dementia wing of a suburban Melbourne nursing home.
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
It wasn’t until 1987 that the cult was finally searched by 100 police officers and the children were rescued.
At the time, a 15-year-old Ben was doing his scheduled yoga class when police stormed in.
His sister, Sarah Moore, had managed to escape the cult at 17 and headed straight to the police to tell them what was going on.
Not taking any chances, police stormed the property and rescued six children, including Ben.
While he was reluctant to go with them at first, he soon realised this was his path to freedom.
He recalls: “I think I got this epiphanal moment, realising this is the ticket out of here. So I just I let go, and I went with them.”
It was only then that Ben found out he was not their biological son and was handed over by his mother Joy, who stayed in the cult as an ‘aunt’.
At the time, Anne was in Hawaii while Bill stayed on the compound, but he wasn’t arrested.
Later, he went to New York to meet Anne before the pair were arrested and extradited back to Australia.
While many of the children came forward with claims of abuse, both Anne and Bill were only charged with conspiracy to defraud and perjury by falsely registering the birth of triplets.
The pair were spared jail and fined just £2,300 each for the crime.
Detective Lex de Man, who investigated the case, says evidence of abuse was unable to be taken to court despite multiple victims coming forward.
Justice was not done.
Ben Shenton
Detective de Man recently told The Age: “My only regret is she was never held totally to account for the misery she caused to the former cult children.
“I have no sympathy for the woman I consider the most evil person I ever met in my police career.”
LIFE NOW
Ben moved into foster care when he left the cult, and while lying on his bunk bed with fresh pyjamas and a meal in his tummy, he realised he’d never go back to The Family again
“I realised then I (didn’t) have to do this anymore, I’m free. I don’t need to go back,” he said. “That, to me, was when I shut the door.”
Four decades on, Ben is a proud husband to Rajes and a dad to Ellie and Callum, who live in Perth, Australia.
He has written a book on his time in the cult, Life Behind the Wire, and runs the organisation, Rescue The Family, to raise awareness on cult manipulation.
In 2019, Anne passed away while in a Melbourne care home at the age of 98 and Ben has reconnected with his biological mother.
“What Anne did was evil. She used the name of Christ to give herself validity. She used a belief system,” Ben said.
“Justice was not done.”
Married At First Sight stars reveal surprise romance as they go instagram official despite NOT marrying on show
MARRIED At First Sight stars have revealed their surprise romance after going Instagram official, despite marrying on the show.
Fans of the most recent Aussie series watched as Awhina and Adrian were paired together.
However, from the moment they said ‘I do’ the ex-couple bickered and argued.
Months on from when filming on MAFS wrapped, Awhina now appeared to confirm she’s seeing her co-star.
And even more so now, with Instagram official snaps shared on their socials.
The pair enjoyed a cosy date night at a place named The Garden in Perth recently, and snapped some very romantic photos in the process.
Both in black, they posed for a mirror selfie that saw stunning Awhina looking forwards, while Billy placed his arm around her front and she held onto it.
She said: “I’ll keep this one 
” as the caption, sending the rumour mill into overdrive in the process.
Awhina shared a string of date night snaps in the carousel, as they enjoyed small plates and red wine while dining out together.
“Adrian punching the air right now 
,” one person responded in the comments, referencing her ex.
Another person wrote: “Yusss, I love how he is with your son. As a mum that’s the ultimate most attractive attribute.”
Someone else simply put: “I am living for this 
.”
The telling post comes after Awhina was spotted looking glam at a horse racing event in Perth.
During the video, Englishman Billy – who starred on MAFS with his ex Sierah – makes an appearance.
Awhina captioned the video: “Our exes ate a plate of meat, but who really ate?”
The ex-bride’s clip has sent fans into a meltdown as they flooded her with replies.
One said: “Billy and Awhina, Jamie and Elliott. the experts got it wrong and should have had them paired from the start.”
A second said: “Experts really got this season wrong in the matches. Billy now with Awhina, Jamie with Elliot. They are all so happy now.”
“Can I just say when I watched mafs I literally said before the scandal that Billy and awhina were made for each other ….. Called it,” said a third.
Married at First Sight fans previously watched as Billy’s ex Sierah had become close to Adrian during the show’s partner swapping exercise.
In awkward scenes, Sierah revealed that she ended up confiding in Adrian off screen.
Billy felt betrayed because he had opened up to Sierah with an emotional letter about feeling rejected by his father, while she chose to open up to someone else.
Supercomputer predicts new Championship season with Wrexham fairytale continuing and ex-Premier League trio relegated
WREXHAM are in line for a fourth-straight Hollywood season, according to a new Championship supercomputer.
But it’s bad news for former Premier League side Watford, who are pipped for relegation to League One for the first time in 48 YEARS.
Boffins at AceOdds booted up their intelligent PC, which simulates every single fixture 10,00 times for the most accurate score.
It estimates the outcome of games based on a team’s current strength (based on factors such as league position and form) and betting market odds.
And the results are astounding, with Wrexham, who became the first team to earn back-to-back-to-back promotions up the pyramid, have the chance to play for Premier League football.
The Red Dragons, once suffering a record 15-straight seasons in the National League before Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney saved the day, are predicted to finish inside the play-off spots next season.
Linked with a host of big names, including Jamie Vardy and Ben Davies, Wrexham’s top-flight dreams remain alive – if they edge out Bristol City to sixth-place on goal difference.
Meanwhile, the clever AI algorithm reckons Southampton will go straight back up by winning the Championship.
The Saints, who hired former Lens boss Will Still after relegation this season, are set to face a dramatic title race with Sheffield United, who will finally earn automatic promotion at the second time of asking.
Fellow relegated sides Ipswich, Leicester and Frank Lampard‘s Coventry City are predicted to join Wrexham in making the play-offs.
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Tom Brady-backed Birmingham City, who recorded the most-ever EFL points last season (108), will also register an admirable top-half finish.
On 65 points, the Blues are set to finish ahead of neighbours West Brom and other established names such as Stoke City and Middlesbrough.
Meanwhile, Championship newboys Charlton Athletic are expected to avoid a return to League One, finishing six points above the drop.
In terms of the relegation places, Derby County and Hull City join Watford in the dreaded drop to the third-tier.
Watford last played in League One (then known as the Football League Third Division) during the 1977-78 season.
Derby finished 19th last year, while Hull are pipped to finish rock-bottom after just about saving themselves on the final day this season, after Luton lost to West Brom.
While the supercomputer thinks the likes of Preston, QPR, Boro and Oxford United will narrowly survive.
And Norwich, Millwall, Blackburn, Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea will finish a respectable mid-table.
Love Island fans work out ‘real reason’ couple have split again as on/off Islanders unfollow each other
LOVE Island fans claim to have worked out why one of the show’s couples has split again.
The Sun revealed today how Harriett, 25, and 28-year-old Ronnie have called time on their relationship while on holiday in Ibiza.
Although the pair have not formally confirmed their break-up, Harriett has complained to fans about the “bad day” she’s having.
Harriett and Ronnie have unfollowed each other on Instagram, with him deleting all trace of her on the photo sharing site too.
But fans are suspicious about the on/off couple’s latest split.
Mulling it over on Reddit, many claim to have worked out why Harriett and Ronnie have broken up again.
It has been suggested that Ronnie might be being lined up to make a shock entrance in this summer‘s Love Island for Casa Amor.
The twist, which comes later in the series, always sparks drama as the couples are put to the ultimate test with a host of new bombshell arrivals.
Writing on the social forum, one fan said: “They’ll be back together in a month.”
But another replied: “Ronnie will be the big post Casa bombshell by then.”
Agreeing, someone else added: “No kidding. He’ll cry about Harriett while hitting on other women.”
A fourth chimed in: “And then Harriett will come back in for him to win her back.”
Another viewer begged: “Please don’t give the producers ideas!”
Ronnie and Harriett originally split last summer – just weeks after leaving the villa.
The pair then rekindled their connection on Love Island: All Stars in January.
Last week, the couple were at the centre of break-up rumours after fans noticed Ronnie had deleted photos of Harriett from Instagram.
A mystery post appeared on the site which claimed to show Ronnie confirming: “Yeah it’s true. Will explain my side of things later.”
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But Ronnie quickly hit out and insisted he was the victim of a hoax by a malicious troll.
He wrote online: “This is clearly a set up. Edited because we are sweet and I haven’t commented a thing. Thank you.”
Following today’s news that the couple have in fact broken up, Harriett has spoken out.
Refusing to address the reports directly, she told her Instagram followers: “I’ve never felt this exhausted in my entire life.
“Love you guys! Bad day, not a bad life.”
Birmingham bin misery could go on until CHRISTMAS as workers vote to continue strikes
Birmingham bin workers have voted to continue industrial action in a dispute over pay and jobs.
Strikes could last until December with Unite announcing the continued industrial action moments ago.
A massive 97% of workers voted in favour of continued strike action with a 75% turnout the workers union has said.
Nearly 400 bin workers from Birmingham, who are facing pay cuts, voted to continue the strikes.
The strikes began in January after workers were told by the council they could face pay cuts of up to £8,000.
Refuse workers said the cuts would leave them struggling to pay their bills.
Rubbish has piled up on the city’s streets amid the industrial action with rodents and vermin now appearing across Birmingham.
Talks have been held under the chairmanship of the conciliation service Acas but the dispute remains deadlocked.
The council brought in temporary workers to cover for the striking staff.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “After smearing these workers in public since January and telling them to accept a fair and reasonable offer that never existed, the council finally put a proposal in writing last week.
“True to form, the proposal came weeks late and was not in line with the ballpark offer discussed during Acas talks in May.
“It had been watered down by the government commissioners and the leader of the council despite them never having been in the negotiations.
“It beggars belief that a Labour government and Labour council is treating these workers so disgracefully.
“It is hardly surprising that so many working people are asking whose side Labour is on.
“The decision makers at Birmingham council need to get in the room and put forward an acceptable offer.
“Unite will not allow these workers to be financially ruined – the strikes will continue for as long as it takes. Unite calls on the decision makers to let common sense prevail in upcoming negotiations.”
All the Middle of Lidl bargains launching today including £20 cabin bag that are perfect for summer holidays
LIDL is now selling a range of products including a £20 cabin bag that is perfect for summer holidays.
With many plotting a get away this summer, the German discounter has launched a range essentials to help those with a holiday plan.
Over 30 products have landed in stores today.
The product is part of the bargain stores “Middle of Lidl” offers, which land in stores every Thursday and Sunday.
The items are usually sold at a low price and only available while stocks last.
That includes a snug suitcase that fits carry-on luggage regulations of most airlines.
The luggage piece costs £19.99 and can hold up to 12.4kg.
Other products up for grabs include a £4.99 luggage organiser set.
The storage solution comes with mesh insert and two-way zip.
The item is loved by many customers as a tool to fit as much as possible into their suitcase.
You can check out the full list of products here:
- Topmove Wheeled Holdall – Grey: £14.99
- Topmove Wheeled Holdall – Black: £14.99
- Topmove 4-Wheel Trolley Suitcase: £29.99
- Topmove Cabin Suitcase: £19.99
- Topmove Travel Backpack: £19.99
- Topmove Foldable Backpack: £5.99
- Topmove Foldable Bag – Blue: £5.99
- Topmove Foldable Bag – Grey: £5.99
- Topmove Organiser Bag: £4.99
- Topmove Wash Bag: £4.99
- Topmove Anti-Theft Shoulder Bag: £7.99
- Topmove Anti-Theft Handbag: £7.99
- Livarno Home Travel Pillow: £6.99
- Topmove Luggage Organiser Set – 4 Piece Set: £4.99 per pack
- Topmove Luggage Scales: £3.99
- Batman Kids’ Neck Pillow: £4.99
- Paw Patrol Kids’ Neck Pillow: £4.99
- Ladybug Kids’ Neck Pillow: £4.99
- Gabby’s Dollhouse Kids’ Neck Pillow: £4.99
- Silvercrest LCD Writing Tablet – Pink: £4.99
- Silvercrest LCD Writing Tablet – Blue: £4.99
- Silvercrest LCD Writing Tablet – Green: £4.99
- Snap n Seal Stainless Steel Bottle – Lilac: £4.99
- Snap n Seal Stainless Steel Bottle – Black: £4.99
- Snap n Seal Stainless Steel Bottle – Blue/Pink: £4.99
- Sensiplast Soft Earplugs – 8 Pairs: £1.49 per pack
- Sensiplast Aqua Earplugs – 1 Pair: £1.49 per pair
- Sensiplast Travel Earplugs – 1 Pair: £1.49 per pair
- Toytopic Kids’ Travel Activity Pack: £3.99 per pack
- Hinkler Pull the Tab Math Book: £2.49
- Hinkler Pull the Tab Phonics Book: £2.49
- Hinkler Pull the Tab Spelling Book: £2.49
- Hinkler Pull the Tab Times Tables Book: £2.49
If you are keen to pick up Lidl’s holiday range you will have to act quickly, as it is a limited edition item; once it’s gone, it’s gone.
And that is not the only deal that has landed in Lidl stores this week.
Shoppers have been going wild for its Dyson fan dupe.
The Silvercrest Bladeless Tower Fan is currently on offer for £54.99 when you use the Lidl Plus app.
That’s £15 off its regular price of £69.99.
In comparison, it’s £225 cheaper than the popular Dyson Cool Tower Fan, which will set you back a hefty £280.
How can I save money when shopping at Lidl?
Lidl reduces items at the start of the day and the best deals can be found between 7am to 8am, when most stores open.
Shoppers can often find cooked meats, salmon fillets and breads reduced by 30% or more.
Not only does Lidl have its own range of reasonably priced alcohol, it also has its own knock-offs of branded favourites – so say cheers to its bargain booze.
Everyone knows about the “Middle of Lidl” – it’s here where you’ll find a load of random stuff that you didn’t realise you needed, at decent prices.
But if you are hoping to avoid spending more than you planned, you can check what will be in the “Middle of Lidl” on the supermarket’s website in advance.
The Middle of Lidl is refreshed every Thursday and Sunday.
Shoppers can also keep tabs on what’s appearing in the “Pick of the Week” section on the Lidl website.
The discounts happen every Thursday and are usually on fruit, vegetables, and meat.
How to bag a bargain
SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain…
Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with.
Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks.
Sales are when you can pick up a real steal.
Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on.
Sign up to mailing lists and you’ll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too.
When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use vouchercodes.co.uk and myvouchercodes.co.uk are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer.
Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. Trolley.co.uk app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping.
Bargain hunters can also use B&M’s scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out.
And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you’ll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.
Boohoo is selling dupe of House of CB’s iconic dress for £150 less – and it’s perfect for flattening tummies
WE’VE all fallen hook, line and sinker for House of CB’s bandage dresses.
But with a hefty price tag of £150 or more for each one, we’ve found a dupe of their iconic dress that’s perfect for flattening tummies.
The Boohoo Bandage Double Strap Midi Dress is made in a figure-hugging bandage fabric and looks rather similar to House of CB’s viral The HourGlass dress.
It’s form-fitting silhouette accentuates your curves, while the sweetheart neckline and double strap detail add a dash of sophistication.
It is simply perfect for a cocktail party or a night at the club, and designed to turn heads – at only a fraction of the price.
The dress is currently only available in Chocolate and Rose.
But the best part is that the Boohoo dress is currently on sale for just £20 – a huge difference to The HourGlass dress which costs £169 – giving you a massive saving of just under £150.
But if you still feel like splashing out for a very special occasion you better be quick because House of CB say their bandage Collection is a limited edition.
Whichever you choose – team yours with big hair, high heels, bold lip – and you’ll feel like a million dollars.
Meanwhile, a popular supermarket has launched a £20 dupe of the £11k Birkin bags that Victoria Beckham & Olivia Attwood love – and it comes in 2 colours.
And if you’re not willing to fork out for a Labubu – which can fetch a whopping £70 online – there’s a budget-friendly alternative you can get in your local B&M.
The cost of hotels and flights is already expensive, so we know you want to save cash when it comes to luggage too.
And people are rushing to Tesco to pick up their new suitcase & it’s a dupe of pricey Rimowa but more than £1,000 cheaper.
We also have the perfect Crocs dupe for your summer- as a discount supermarket’s Summer Clogs sell for a mere £3.99.
This is an eye-watering £46 less than what shoppers would find on the Crocs website.
Plus, Aldi’s new Japanese-inspired skincare brand is said to be a dupe of Tatcha – it’s 90% cheaper but was it as good?
How to look chic on a budget
Fashion stylist Gemma Rose Breger, and beauty journalist Samantha Silver revealed how you can make your outfits elevated without spending hundreds of pounds.
- Don’t ever spend on designer denim: River Island ”always has such a great selection of fashion-forward jeans that follow the current trends”. The high street retailer offers a great range of sizes to fit UK 6 – UK 18, and three leg lengths – and prices start from an affordable £25.
- There are no rules for jewels: ”Pick up something at a car boot sale, or charity shop, scroll on Vinted & eBay, snap up something from the clothing section in your local supermarket when doing the food shop or check out high street clothing stores.”
- Don’t forget the pre-loved sites: With a rising number of second-hand sites, such as Vinted and Depop, there’s no excuse for not buying – or selling – pre-loved garments. Gemma, for instance, has managed to get her hands on chic Chanel sunnies for a mere £17.
And finally, our Beauty editor tested Aldi’s 7 new beauty buys all for under £5.
A cult Charlotte Tilbury dupe is back but read here to find her favourite finds.