Aa philanthropic family donated $500,000 to a palliative care centre in Woodstock.

NEARLY half of pensioners who lose their winter fuel allowance are planning to only heat and live in one room, a survey shows.

A fifth of people were already planning to do this but an extra 29 per cent will undertake the extreme measure as a result of the cut.

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Nearly half of pensioners who lose their winter fuel allowance are planning to only heat and live in one room[/caption]

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An extra 29 per cent will now undertake the extreme measure as a result of the cut[/caption]

The survey comes as campaigners hand in more than 500,000 signatures calling on Ministers to protect the payment worth up to £300.

Some 44 per cent of older people said the benefit axe would have a harmful impact on their physical health over the winter months.

The new polling for Independent Age also revealed 43 per cent of older people are planning on wearing outdoor clothes while indoors such as hats and coats.

Figures show that only 65 per cent of eligible older people receive Pension Credit allowing them to receive the benefit. But it means 760,000 eligible households will lose out on the cash this year.

The Chancellor announced in July that the benefit would be means-tested as she said she had to fill a £22 billion financial black hole left by the Tory administration.

Joanna Elson, boss of Independent Age, said: “Tying the Winter Fuel Payment to Pension Credit now will see far too many older people fall through the cracks.

“Pension Credit still has a stubbornly low take up and in addition there is a large group of older people living just above the entitlement’s threshold, sometimes by just a few pounds.

“People in this situation will now have this vital money taken away from them.”

Meanwhile, it emerged that the government is facing a £100 million bill for the state pension next year under the triple lock guarantee.

The benefit rises every year in line with the highest of wages, inflation or 2.5 per cent.

Official figures show wage growth at 4 per cent in the three months to July which is set to determine the increase.

OUR much-loved astrologer Meg sadly died last year but her column will be kept alive by her friend and protégée Maggie Innes.

Read on to see what’s written in the stars for you today. 

ARIES

March 21 to April 20

Do take a source of cash advice seriously today – there can be a “U” message in there that’s relevant to Aries and may give you the tools to construct a new future.

Your makeover zone is growing more visible, and forgotten faces can play a part, perhaps linked to a TV show – or a recently published book.

Get all the latest Aries horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

 TAURUS

April 21 to May 21

You have so many moon-led depths to your chart of the day. So you may surprise everyone around you by how you respond to pressure.

And no one will take any aspect of you for granted again.

Pluto shakes up your travel zone and you can head off in any direction that feels right to you. Luck opens a pink door.

Get all the latest Taurus horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

GEMINI

May 22 to June 21

Gentle Neptune brings a sensitive set of feelings into play – and some unexpected people can catch you unawares by how much they care.

Do accept any offers of time, or support.

A travel promise may have been stalling, but it can accelerate once it gets the green light. So do get all the paperwork in place.

CANCER

June 22 to July 22

Yes, you should listen to career advice from significant people, but you don’t need to follow it.

Because you are the only person who really knows where your professional destiny should go next.

Calmly repeating a request, as often as it takes, can be the key to fixing a communication glitch, in love or at work.

Get all the latest Cancer horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

LEO

July 23 to August 23

Dreams and desires make a mesmerising Leo mix – with room for fresh faces.

You could face a choice between two totally different fantasy futures.

At home, it may feel selfish (at first) to stand up for yourself. But by tonight you will recognise the rewards.

A golden ticket can link to a contest for couples.

Get all the latest Leo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

VIRGO

August 24 to September 22

In passion terms, you’re slow to warm up but totally devoted when you do.

Today, a partner will feel the full benefit of this.

If you’re single, your soulmate can be someone you first met at a friend’s celebration.

The more specific you can make creative chats, the better – especially into the evening.

Get all the latest Virgo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

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Faking confidence can get the real deal started[/caption]

LIBRA

September 23 to October 23

Decisions may be delayed by the moon, but what matters is how you react.

Mars wakes up your gung-ho self, but don’t cut off any channels too soon.

Stick with a process and trust it to speed up again.

Later, romance is a heady mix of loyalty and passion – so you can leave recent near-misses firmly in the past.

Get all the latest Libra horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

SCORPIO

October 24 to November 22

Fitness is part of your personal strategy, as you take stock of where you would like to be.

However far away this feels, your chart shows you are on your way – as Pluto gives you the positive self-talk to overcome barriers.

As for relationships, love blends carefree fun with steady commitment, putting a wish into words.

Get all the latest Scorpio horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

SAGITTARIUS

November 23 to December 21

Genuine friends will give without expecting anything in return – but this works both ways.

If you know you’ve been leaning too hard on one person, or group, try to work out a new balance.

Later, a hidden crush rushes to the surface, immersing you in heart-racing passion.

Check past timetables to look for lost items.

Get all the latest Sagittarius horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

CAPRICORN

December 22 to January 20

Your home sector boasts some zodiac twists – what seems like a simple choice could still get complicated.

Pluto is keeping you on your toes, but you can come through this stronger.

Tonight, deep romance is afoot, the scent of spices can be your location clue.

Luck takes you back to a “B” July event.

Get all the latest Capricorn horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

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Pluto unsettles secrets, so take care[/caption]

AQUARIUS

January 21 to February 18

Venus and Saturn make a strong love bond, but this can turn towards predictability.

When you meet at times and in places that are non-routine, and let secret, sensual sides of yourself show, a partner will welcome this.

If you’re single, look beyond your usual type to someone who loves to read.

Get all the latest Aquarius horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

PISCES

February 19 to March 20

New levels of love in your chart can be based on simple pleasures.

This means couples who may have sensed some distance forming, can be close again.

While if you’re seeking someone new, a name next to yours on a letter or in an email chain can fit the bill.

Luck links to an Aries with a brand new image.

Get all the latest Pisces horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

DOING quick bursts of exercise can be just as effective as gruelling workouts, researchers say – finding that short bouts consume more oxygen than longer ones.

Getting your heart rate up for 10 to 30 seconds uses up more oxygen than doing the same exercise continuously, University of Milan Scientists found.

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Seconds-long bursts of exercise use up more oxygen than doing an exercise continuously, scientists found[/caption]

They suggested that doing short bursts of exercise in the form of a short stroll or taking the stairs may in fact help burn more energy.

Getting a big payoff from minimal effort has been gaining traction when it comes to working out.

Methods like “exercise snacking” –  brief spurts of exertion spread throughout the day – have become increasingly popular, especially when it comes to undoing the damage of sitting at a desk all day.

A 2024 study published to the journal Sports Medicine and Health Science found that doing quick workouts lasting a minute or less throughout the day can boost cardiovascular fitness and muscular function.

Another from the Journal of Physiology found that workouts less than 15 minutes long could improve blood sugar control as well as heart and lung function.

Meanwhile, a separate study published in Nature Medicine journal, linked small amounts of vigorous physical activity interspersed throughout the day to a longer life.

The new study conducted by researchers at the University of Milan adds to the body of research supporting short exercise bursts.

Its authors asked 10 young and healthy participants to walk on a stair climber for bouts lasting 10, 30, 60, 90 and 240 seconds – amounting to four minutes.

Each bout was repeated twice in a random order.

The participants had their oxygen uptake measured for three minutes before each bout while they were sat down, and for seven minutes after each exercise burst.

Oxygen uptake – how much oxygen your body uses while exercising – is a tool commonly used to understand people’s fitness levels.

Researchers repeated the experiment with another 10 people, this time asking them to walk on a treadmill for for bouts lasting 10 to 240 seconds

They found that walking or climbing stairs in short 10- to 30-second bouts made people consume 20 to 60 per cent more oxygen, compared to doing it continuously for the same distance.

“Our findings indicate that shorter bouts have a substantially higher oxygen cost compared to longer ones,” they wrote.

The study authors said their findings showed that short bursts of exercise could be effective – especially if we’re inactive for much of the day.

Their experiments used the example of walking on a treadmill or stair-master, but you can replicate this outside of gym too.

“Breaking up sedentary time with brief strolls or taking the stairs can greatly increase energy expended daily and improve health”, the authors said.

Authors noted that exercise programmes based on short
walking bouts are often used to help treat people with obesity or who have reduced mobility after a stroke.

But it’s also useful for working exercise into your routine if you’re busy and don’t have time to hit the gym.

Sarah Campus, a personal trainer and founder of LDN Mums Fitness, previously told Sun Health: “One of the best things about exercise snacking is that it does not have to be particularly structured.”

She recommended four exercise snacks you can do at home – from squats, to lunges and even a little dance.

MARK Labbett’s ex Hayley Palmer is ‘growing close’ with millionaire MAFS groom Ben Jardine after her shock split from The Chase star.

It was just a few months ago that Hayley, 43, revealed she was dating a mystery man – teasing fans with a snap from one of their dinners.

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Mark Labbett’s ex Hayley Palmer is ‘growing close’ with Ben Jardine[/caption]

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MAFS groom Ben is a millionaire property developer[/caption]

But, while the TV star refused to reveal his identity at the time, The Sun has since learned it’s reality favourite Ben, 42, she’s been spending time with.

A source told us: “Since her split from Mark, Hayley’s been slowly finding her confidence again and Ben’s been a huge support.

“They’ve known each other for a while but things started to take off after he went to her birthday party in July and they’ve been growing closer ever since.

“They’ve even landed a presenting gig at The Boat Show comedy club together, which has given them the chance to really enjoy each other’s company.

“Right now, it’s all just fun between them but there’s definitely a spark and they’re enjoying seeing where things go.”

Property tycoon Ben appeared on Married At First Sight all the way back in 2017, where he tied the knot with Stephanie Saint Remy.

The couple were the only newlyweds to survive the show.

However, they split soon after the cameras stopped rolling and Ben went on to welcome a little boy with yoga teacher, Silvia Sanchis.

Earlier this year, Hayley opened up on her previous relationship, revealing Mark brutally dumped her in a three-minute phone call.

Hayley and Mark dated for a year and seemed loved-up before their shocking split just days after their one-year anniversary in May.

The 6ft 7in quizzer, nicknamed The Beast, said he was ending their year-long romance because he did not want to divorce his ex Katie.

Hayley admitted she “didn’t know what happened” as they had just celebrated their first anniversary on May 16. with a trip to the beach in Southsea, Hants.

They spent time on a bench which was the same place they shared their first date, followed by a meal at Beefeater.

So Hayley had the wind taken out of her when he called things off in a brutal phone call just days later.

Hayley told us: “The call started off as a normal conversation.

“He was spending time with his son and we’d had a conversation about me joining them at a water park.

“Then he said, ‘I don’t know how to tell you this, but you were right. I don’t want to divorce my ex-wife’.

“The shock of the way he said it was so brutally cold and not the Mark I know.

“I thought he was a gentle giant, so this was the complete opposite.

“He was as cold as ice.”

Later at the National Reality TV Awards, Hayley opened up on the toll the split had taken on her and how she was looking forward to the future.

They had even appeared on ITV’s Loose Women days earlier and spoken about their relationship — and their future together.

In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Hayley said: “I think you go through stages of a break-up and it was…

“It was really hard to begin with and I couldn’t even get out of bed.”

Choking back tears, she continued: “But then I went through a stage when I was okay, then I went through a stage where I was bursting into tears the other week but now I’m like, ‘Hayley, let’s go, come on you bad b***h.'”

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Presenter Hayley dated The Chase’s Mark for a year[/caption]

INSTAGRAM

She’s been teasing her new man on Instagram[/caption]

TEMPLEGATE tackles Wednesday’s racing hungry for winners.

Back a horse by clicking their odds.

PRIMOZ (2.30 Wetherby, nap)

Looks capable of much better now going over fences.

ACTIVIST (2.15 Nottingham, nb)

Went close in good maiden at Newmarket last time out.

WINSTON’S TIPPLE (3.45 Nottingham, treble)

Consistent and another good run at Epsom last time.

Templegate’s tips

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Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

BBC star Simon Armitage has branded the BBC’s decision to ditch his hit potting shed series “bewildering”.

Simon, the Poet Laureate, lashed out after the Beeb recently dumped his popular Radio 4 programme The Poet Laureate Has Gone To His Shed.

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Simon Armitage has lashed out at the BBC for axing his show[/caption]

The series heard Simon talk poetry with celebrities and royals – all while sipping sherry in his shed.

Simon, 61, lives in West Yorks and has chatted to everyone from King Charles to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and Sir Ian McKellen in his timber cabin.

But the BBC has suddenly decided to pull the plug after three successful series’.

Speaking at The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, Simon said: “For reasons that are utterly bewildering to me, given the popularity of the programme, the BBC has decided not to recommission it.”

Hinting that he might jump ship to a rival broadcaster, he added: “It is possible that I might do it with another broadcaster. I hope so.

“I think, when we started the programme, guests thought it was going to be a conceit and that it would be an outside broadcast.

“But it was just a shed with lawnmowers and spiders and led to some very intimate and engaging conversations in that informality.”

A highlight from Simon’s The Poet Laureate Has Gone To His Shed saw him travel to the then-Prince Charles’ Llwynywermod estate in Carmarthenshire.

He interviewed the future King in his “old barn” about his favourite birds, climate change and the vegetable patch at Buckingham Palace.

Since becoming King, Charles has given up the lease on the estate – but Simon’s memories of that day are still engraved in his brain.

They even drank sherry together taken from Simon’s stipend (a fixed amount of money paid to cover expenses or for services).

In years gone by, the Monarch would give The Poet Laureate a small stipend and a butt or barrel of sherry.

As of  1984 the Laureate’s sherry has been a gifted from the Sherry Producers of Spain as a goodwill gesture to celebrate the cultural and trading links between Britain and Spain.

In response to The Poet Laureate Has Gone To His Shed being axed, the BBC told The Times it ‘sometimes has to make difficult decisions’ about its schedule.

A spokesman added: “Radio 4 is committed to poetry and we’re delighted to commission a new major ten-part series with Simon Armitage for audiences in time for Christmas and, later this month, we’ll be airing The Poetry Detective with Vanessa Kisuule.

“Poets regularly appear as guests and contributors across our programming on BBC Radio 4.”

Michael Schofield

Simon has enjoyed three successful series’ of The Poet Laureate Has Gone To His Shed[/caption]

PA

His most memorable episode featured Prince Charles, prior to him being crowned King[/caption]

IN A surprise announcement tonight, Oasis has revealed they are adding a third and final date to their Melbourne leg of the 2025 world tour.

The new gig has been planned as a response to overwhelming demand from fans of the rock band.

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Oasis have announced another date in Melbourne[/caption]

AP

This gives Australian fans who missed out on ticket sales a chance to try again[/caption]

It will take place on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.

This gives Australian music nuts who missed out in the pre-sale another shot at securing tickets.

The band tweeted the news earlier this evening, saying: “Due to phenomenal demand, a third and final Melbourne date has been added on Tuesday 4 November 2025.

“If you weren’t successful in the initial pre-sale ticket ballot, you might have another chance!”

Tickets for the anticipated show will go on general sale this Friday, October 18, via Ticketmaster.

Fans eager to attend should act fast, as tickets are expected to sell out quickly.

A slide revealing additional information added: “If you already registered for Melbourne in the Oasis Live ’25 Australian ballot, you may be eligible for this show’s pre-sale, provided you did not buy a ticket in the initial pre-sale or general onsale.

“If you already have a code for Melbourne and have not bought tickets in either the presale or general onsale, your code will still be valid and you will be able to access the presale through the link in your original code email.

“If you applied for tickets for Melbourne and didn’t get a code the first time around, you might have a second chance as additional codes will be issued.”

This additional date comes after the band’s world tour sparked a frenzy among fans worldwide, with dates selling out in record time.

The reconciliation of Noel and Liam Gallagher took the music world by surprise.

The big announcement came almost 15 years after Noel dramatically quit the band.

An insider said: “This is the reunion that no one thought would ever happen.

“Liam and Noel have been staunch enemies for well over a decade but they have secretly been back in touch.

“A deal was put on the table and they both said yes – much to the surprise of the people around them.”

But others have dubbed it 'an abomination.'

'As Venus links with Neptune and Pluto, it conjures a yearning for something that may seem beyond your grasp...'