PEOPLE often say they wish there were stories and experiences, whether that’s books, films, or games, that they wish they could forget.

Not because they were bad, but because they were so good they wish they could experience it again for the first time.

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The graphical upgrades are excellent giving a whole new look[/caption]

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However, quality of life upgrades like restarting from your save a sorely missing[/caption]

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A map has been added but it doesn’t show how the areas connect[/caption]

The problem with this is that when you revisit these stories, they often aren’t what you remember them to be.

Nostalgia often papers over the cracks, and issues are forgotten while the things you love are amplified.

Aside from your memory playing tricks on you, some experiences are better had when they were originally released.

That’s because tastes change over the years, and things we thought were acceptable then, aren’t acceptable now.

I’m not talking about cultural attitudes, but the features that modern gamers have come to expect over the years.

Things like auto save or save anywhere, mini maps or pointers to the next objective, accessibility options, and fast travel.

When we were kids, we had what felt like infinite time, and in a land before the internet or even TV channels in the double digits.

With fewer entertainment options you wanted what you had to last as long as possible, which meant the backtracking, grinding, and butting your head against the wall were all part of the process.

We now live in a world of hustle culture, where people are constantly pushed to be productive, and when you’re not progressing you’re told you’re wasting your precious life.

This is why games have adapted, and it’s why there is such a huge emphasis on console remakes and remasters, bringing older games to a modern audience.

Originally released in 1999, the Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver games are widely considered to be some of the best from the PS1 era.

They are 3D metroidvanias, with an open world that you can explore further as you discover more power-ups.

It also has a very unique system where the protagonist Raziel shifts between two planes of existence, and can do different actions in each one.

Legacy of Kain deserves its passionate fan base, and I also have fond memories of playing it, even though I didn’t remember too much about it.

That’s why I was so excited to play the remaster collection. I don’t need shiny new graphics to enjoy an old game, but I was excited for quality-of-life updates.

You can save anywhere in Soul Reaver, but when you restart you end up at the very start of the game and need to take teleporters in order to get back where you left off.

These teleporters aren’t on the critical path and you have to search every corner to open them all up.

It seemed an obvious fix for the remaster to drop you off where you last saved, but this isn’t the case.

Outside of the graphics, it feels like there have been no quality-of-life upgrades.

There is a map screen, which feels necessary in such a sprawling world that you backtrack through, but it’s completely useless.

Over the years fans have made beautiful maps that clearly show how the world connects, but the map in the remaster functions more as a list of area names.

Then there are changes which I don’t remember being in the original, though as I said before, I don’t remember much.

I had to look up a guide when I was stuck only to find that the reason I couldn’t complete the puzzle was because the blocks I needed just weren’t there.

Resetting spawned the blocks in, but as previously mentioned, this sent me back to the start.

There were also plenty of visual glitches, where paths look blocked off when they’re not,  and parts where I phased through the walls.

For full transparency, I didn’t finish the Soul Reaver remaster as I felt a deep sense of dread whenever I thought about picking up my Steam Deck.

Knowing I would be sent back to the start, wondering if I’ll encounter a game-breaking bug and have to reset, and considering just how much aimless running around I’d have to do.

Remasters aren’t about smothering games in a shiny new coat of paint, it’s about adding in features for the modern gamer, and respecting the time in the ever-crushing hustle culture.

If you want to read more game reviews, check out our Stray review.

ANOTHER huge week of Champions League football is upon us and Germany hosts a stellar contest between Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona.

And brand new talkSPORT BET customers can claim up to £40 in free bets when they register an account and stake at least £20 on Wednesday’s showdown.

• Dortmund vs Barcelona: Get up to £40 in free bets – Claim here*

Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles here

• Dortmund vs Barcelona: Get up to £40 in free bets – Claim here*

What’s the offer?

Brand new talkSPORT BET customers can claim a welcome bonus of up to £40 when they register an account.

How to claim?

Simply visit the talkSPORT BET website on your mobile device and create an account. Opt in to this promotion via the OFFERS tab and then make a deposit via debit card or Apple Pay.

Stake £20 or more on any football market at odds of at least Evens. Remember, you must do this within 7 days of opening your account.

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Once that’s settled – win or lose – your account will be credited with up to £40 free bets based on your first bet bet.

For example, if you stake £20, you will receive 4 x £5 free bets. If you stake £40 you would receive the full 4 x £10 free bets:

On settlement of your qualifying bet, your account will be credited with the following:

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And the following free bets, which will be credited 24 hours after the first bonus funds:

• £10 free bet – To Win and Both Team to Score – 90 mins (if your qualifying bet is £20, you will only receive a £5 free bet)
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*18+ New customers only. Opt in via mobile device, bet up to £40 (min. £20) on any football market at odds of 2.00+, in 7 days. Get up to £40 in free bets on selected markets. Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly

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Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk

A ‘Nepo baby’ has celebrated her 20th birthday, with her famous mum taking to social media to share a sweet birthday message.

Kiki Truman, a 20 year old actress, and is the daughter of a soap star who most of us would know best as Janine Butcher in EastEnders.

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EastEnders actress Charlie shared a sweet message for her daughter on her 20th birthday[/caption]

INSTAGRAM

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In the mixture of pictures from childhood to now, Kiki has been labelled her ‘mum’s double’[/caption]

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Charlie Brooks had daughter Kiki Truman in 2004 with ex partner Tony Truman[/caption]

.Kiki is the only daughter of soap actress Charlie Brooks, who is currently set to take to the ice for the next series of ITV’s Dancing On Ice.

Charlie first joined the BBC soap to play Janine in 1999, which she stayed as until she left the soap in May 2004.

The actress has since rejoined and left the soap various times, including a long stint from April 2021.

One of her most notable storylines included when Janine married Barry Evans, played by Shaun Williamson, for his money before pushing him off a cliff.

Taking to social media, Charlie penned a sweet message to her daughter on her 20th birthday.

Sharing a medley of pictures of daughter Kiki from childhood to now including ones where her daughter looked glamorous and dressed up.

Captioning the pictures, Charlie wrote: “20 years ago today I birthed this wild thing @kikitruman. So pleased the frontal lobe is starting to form.

“What an adventure. Thank you for choosing me to be ya mamma, and your dad @tonytrumanibiza .

“We are here for all of it and we love you more than you could know. Happy birthday baby.”

Fans of Charlie have flooded the post, especially to point out how close Kiki resembles her mother.

Ferne McCann, who is in this year’s Dancing On Ice alongside Charlie, commented: “She’s your double Charlie. Happy birthday Kiki.”

Author Cat Sims joked: “It’s almost like Tony’s genes didn’t even try! She’s SOOO like you!”

EastEnders co-star Patsy Palmer added: “Happy birthday Kiki.”

“Happy birthday to your gorgeous girl. A chip off the ole blocks,” joked actress Kacey Ainsworth.

Kiki is the daughter of Charlie and her ex Tony Truman, who is an entrepreneur with a string of hospitality ventures in Ibiza including the popular Ocean Beach Ibiza.

In 2021 Charlie revealed that despite no longer being together, she and Tony remain close with him living in the flat above theirs in London.

Speaking to the Mail Online at the time, she explained: “He is absolutely my family and nothing will ever change that, no matter how much we fall out, which we have done, big time. 

“He can be an a***hole sometimes, but nobody’s perfect. I love him to bits. He’s one of my best friends.”

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Charlie is best known for playing Janine Butcher, which she first began playing in 1999[/caption]

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Charlie has since returned to the BBC soap on and off over the years in her role as Janine[/caption]

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Following in her mum’s footsteps, Kiki is also an aspiring actress[/caption]

CHINA has unveiled unbreakable, spherical robo-cops which have been seen rolling around cities – ready to catch criminals.

The AI-powered bot beasts are capable of not only stopping crime, but somehow detecting it too.

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The RT-G was seen accompanied by law enforcement around a city[/caption]

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The spherical robots are said to be relatively unbreakable[/caption]

Chinese robotics company Logon Technology unveiled the RT-G autonomous spherical robot in a “technological breakthrough” the other month.

And despite people believing it was all a bizarre marketing stunt, RT-G bots have actually been spotted the streets of China alongside human cops.

Footage shows one of the beast balls rolling round a city, carefully patrolling for any potential crime that could occur.

The spheres are designed to assist – and eventually replace humans – in dangerous environments and situations involving crime.

The ball beast is able to operate both on land and in water, making it practically unstoppable.

It can also withstand a whopping four tonnes of impact damage to prevent criminals from trying to cover their tracks and kill it.

Despite the RT-G only being able to reach a fairly slow speed of 22mph, it does weigh a back-breaking 125kg.

The RT-G can also be equipped with non-fatal police gear like net guns, tear gas sprayers, some grenades, loudspeakers and sound wave dispersal devices.

Dystopian footage of the ball beast RT-G shows it being able to withstand water, rough terrain and mud.

But it is also shown to patrol, identify and stop criminals due to its incredible AI-powered software.

The balls are capable of detecting disturbances or abnormalities around them, and the facial recognition software is able to easily detect criminals known to the police.

It can then either call other robots or human law enforcement as a backup – or will even solve the issue itself.

The showcasing video for RT-G shows the ball chasing after suspects, knocking them to the ground and even firing a built-in netgun.

Meanwhile footage captured by pedestrians show the obedient ball rolling down the street accompanied with law enforcement.

China has recently been rolling out various robot tech to help solve crime.

Before the RT-G came the robo-dog equipped with wheels speeding through rough terrain while performing shocking stunts.

Deep Robotics, a Chinese tech company specializing in humanoid robots, says the quadruped is “unstoppable” even in “extreme weather“.

The attached wheels allow it to run down steep slopes as well as hop over obstacles as it makes its way through rough terrain.

The wheels can also be locked so the robodog can walk in the traditional way, which is needed to climb stairs and perform some more acrobatic manoeuvres.

To demonstrate its extraordinary skills, the quadruped then stands on its two legs before climbing onto a two-foot rock.

It can move swiftly on rocky terrain, climb up and down stairs, and even do a backflip.

Twitter

The balls are capable of detecting disturbances or abnormalities around them[/caption]

Newsflare

A GROWING number of high-street lenders are cutting the price of their mortgage deals.

Barclays, TSB, Natwest and Coventry Building Society have all announced reductions to their mortgage rates.

PA:Press Association

A number of lenders have cut the rates of their mortgage deals.[/caption]

Late last week, NatWest cut its two and five-year fixed-rate mortgage products by up to 0.39%.

Almost all of NatWest’s changes will be within the 4% to 5% range with its lowest five-year fix starting from a market-leading 4.1% from today, Monday December 9.

Coventry Building Society also announced that rates on all of its fixed-rate mortgages would be reduced, including cuts of as much as 0.26% on residential deals.

This was quickly followed by Barclays, which said from Tuesday, December 10 it will cut its residential purchase and remortgage five-year fixed rates by up to 0.14%.

For example, its five-year fee-free deal at 60% loan to value (LTV) will fall from 4.34% to 4.20%.

Meanwhile, its five-year fixed £899 deal will fall from 4.18% to 4.11%.

Mark Arnold, head of mortgage and savings at Barclays, said that itroducing these new rates will benefit customers and “may help to ease the financial burden involved in buying and moving house.”

And Mark Posniak, managing director at Maslow Capital, said Barclays’ latest rate cuts are a “step in the right direction” – but he cautioned that it may not be enough for struggling homeowners.

He explained: “While the move may provide some relief, it falls short of the meaningful changes needed to address broader affordability challenges and stimulate real growth in the property market.

On the same day, fellow lender TSB will also cut the rates of three-year fixed first-time buyer mortgages by up to 0.22%.

It will also cut its five-year fixed first-time buyer and home mover at 90% LTV, by up to 0.15%

A TSB spokesperson told The Sun that these changes “reflect TSB’s commitment to providing competitive options for homebuyers, homeowners looking to remortgage, and customers seeking additional borrowing.”

MORTGAGE RATES ON THE RISE

The latest cuts come as as many prospective homeowners are still facing barriers to entry due to comparatively high mortgage costs and rising house prices.

Figures released by data firm Moneyfacts this month show that the average fixed mortgage felt its biggest monthly rise since August 2023.

Average mortgage rates on the overall two- and five-year fixed rates rose by 0.13% and 0.19% to 5.52% and 5.28% respectively.

It was the biggest monthly rise to the five-year fixed average rate since last summer.

Rachel Springall, finance expert at Moneyfacts, said this was because lenders rushed to re-price products due to “volatile swap rates”.

Swap rates are interest rates that banks and other lenders exchange to secure funding for a set period of time.

They are usually based on what the market thinks interest rates will be in the future. 

The Bank of England recently reduced the base interest rate to 4.75%, a quarter-point cut, marking the second time interest rates have been cut this year.

But other external factors such as the war in Ukraine and inflation can also have an impact on the rate.

Ms Springall told The Sun that lenders have not been repricing their deals as aggressively as they did in the weeks leading up to the Budget in October.

She added: “Despite the drop to the Bank of England base rate last month, fixed mortgage rates overall are higher than they were a month ago due to volatile swap rates.

“It will be good news for borrowers if more prominent lenders cut their mortgage rates, but they will have to be by significant margins to make a big impact.”

RESIDENTS who put the “wrong” rubbish in their bins could be hauled to court and fined up to £2,500 under a new council purge.

Town hall snoopers will also be checking on reports about house-holders who leave their bins out on the street after 7pm on collection day.

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People face being fined for putting the wrong rubbish in their bins[/caption]

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Punishments could also come down for people who leave their bins out too long[/caption]

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The authority says ‘contamination’ of recycling bins costs more than £1 million a year[/caption]

Those who complain their bins were not emptied properly will also face investigation with council bosses in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, using computer records to check the claims.

But those who follow the rules will get a special reward stocked, the council equivalent of a Blue Peter Badge, for toeing the line.

Eyebrows maybe raised at how complicated the council’s recycling rules already area, for example, greetings cards can be put in bins for paper – but not cards that have glitter.

It comes as households could face piles of rotting rubbish for weeks under Labour’s new bin rules – all while council tax bills are set to soar by an average of £109.

Ministers have quietly axed Tory plans to ensure fortnightly rubbish collections, opening the door to three-weekly or even monthly pickups.

‘TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM’

The authority says “contamination” of recycling bins costs more than £1 million a year in extra disposal costs and loss of recycling income.

So they plan to introduce a “traffic light system” under which recycling bins found to be contaminated will receive a warning with a yellow tag on the first offence.

If contamination continues, a second offence will result in an orange tag and a letter warning of a potential fixed penalty notice.

A third instance will trigger a red tag, accompanied by a fixed penalty notice, which could carry a fine.

Residents who have previously broken the rules but then learned their lesson by sorting their bin contents will get a green tag as a reward “to reinforce positive behaviour”.

Barry Connolly, Head of Environmental Services, said: “All bins will be visually checked prior to collection and any recycling or garden waste container found to be contaminated will not be emptied.

“A contamination tag will be placed on the bin informing of the non-collection and contamination.

“Subsequent collections will only be made once the contamination has been removed and will only be on the next collection day.

“Contaminants should be removed and placed in an appropriate container for collection.”

Fixed penalty notices issued can vary depending on offence, but will usually cost between £80 to £400.

If the fine is not paid, the resident could end up in court and be faced with a conviction and fine that could cost up to £2,500.

A pilot of the new crackdown will begin in two areas, which are yet to be identified, in April 2025, alongside a public consultation.

The council collect bins from 121,800 homes and 271,000 residents across 25 wards in the borough.

The fleet of bin wagons is equipped with on board technology in the cabs to check if people have not put their bins out, “contamination” of rubbish, and people putting garden waste bins out who have not paid for a permit.

Bosses say the move could help meet the council’s recycling target of 45 per cent, reduce waste management costs, and ensure that recyclable materials are properly processed.

Under the new policy, the authority’s enforcement team will also investigate where complaints are made about bins being left on the kerbside past 7pm on collection day – and will consider enforcement action if the bin is not removed.

Residents who dispute a contamination tag on their bins and claim their collection was missed will face further checks.

The council’s waste management software will be used to verify whether the bin was missed or if it was tagged for contamination.

The authority says it will work on improving communication with residents to help them understand what can and cannot be recycled.

Educational campaigns through local media, digital tools, and outreach programs will focus on reducing contamination and encouraging better waste sorting.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Taxpayers are fed up with wasting their time sorting through rubbish.

“While wanting to increase recycling may be a noble ambition, these increasingly complex rules and reduced collections risk punishing hard working households who make innocent mistakes.

“Local authorities should focus on providing the services residents pay for, not petty bureaucracy that belongs in the bin.”

IT can be hard to find the perfect Christmas dress for a party or the big day itself, particularly if you are on a budget saving for presents.

However, Sainsbury’s has released a stunning Christmas bow dress which is £590 cheaper than a designer alternative.

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Tu is selling a gorgeous Christmas dress with bow detailing[/caption]

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The dress comes in sizes six to 16 and is currently £40[/caption]

Rebecca Vallance

The Tu dress is remarkably similar to a Rebecca Vallance dress which costs £630 but is currently down at £378[/caption]

Hailing it the “dress of the season”, Tu – the supermarket’s clothing brand – showed off their Black Velvet Bow Front Mini Dress.

The show-stopping dress is made of a soft velvet material with features on-trend bow detailing at the front.

It has flattering puff sleeves and is in a mini length, which they say is “perfect for partnering with tights and a pair of heels.”

The stylish number is currently £40, which is a steal compared to what the designer version would set you back.

Rebecca Vallance has a Aubree floral-appliqué crêpe minidress, which also features similar detailing down the front.

The dress style has been seen on a number of celebrities, including British royalty Princess Beatrice, and Hollywood royalty Paris Hilton.

You may need a balance account worthy of the monarchy to purchase the designer dress, which is £630.

However, there is currently a sale on the website meaning it is down to £378.

There is also a sequin version for £408 if you can afford the price tag.

Bows have been all the rage this Christmas, with shoppers desperate to get their hands on H&M’s viral cardigan.

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There is also a sequin version of the Rebecca Vallance bow dress, but for £408[/caption]

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Princess Beatrice is said to be a fan of the designer bow dress by Rebecca Vallance[/caption]

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Sister Paris and Nicky Hilton wore the red and blue versions[/caption]

If you are struggling to get your hands on the viral item, a fashion lover has shared how she made her own DIY version for a fraction of the price.

H&M bow dupe

Instead of heading to H&M, Becky, who posts under @house.of.lane, popped to her local Poundland where she spotted a similar-looking cardi.

In a clip, she shared: “Want the #viral sold out Bow Cardi but either cannot locate in stock or don’t want to pay loads?

“I was able to make my own version of the sold out viral bow cardi for nearly 80 per cent less using items from Poundland.”

Instagram/house.of.lane

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The £45 H&M cardi has been flying off shelves[/caption]

In order to create her fashion dupe, she picked up two sets of beautiful velvet bows in green and red to be clipped onto the buttons.

Becky continued: “What’s great about these bows is they clip on, which also I’m thinking will be easier for washing instead of glueing them on. 

“In total, for the cardi and the free bows, it comes in at £14.”

This marks a big saving compared to H&M’s version, which has been setting customers back £44.99.

Speaking about her two bow sets, Becky added: “I couldn’t decide which colour I like, but as I’m able to clip these on and clip them off, I’ve got the option of the green or the red. 

“Let me know in the comments which colour you like, or if you’re going to give this a try.”

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Becky impressed followers with her replica of the bow cardi, which a number of retailers have versions of[/caption]

THEY may have 22 kids but Sue and Noel Radford pull out all the stops to give their family a magical Christmas.

But it certainly doesn’t come cheap, with Sue revealing she typically spends between £100 and £250 on each of their children.

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Sue Radford pulls out all the stops at Christmas for her kids[/caption]

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Sue has previously shown the lounge piled high with presents[/caption]

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The busy mum just uploaded a vlog showing her kids making their lists for this year[/caption]

Shopping can be a mission, with Sue sharing she usually gives around 300 presents in total.

With this huge task in mind, the Morecambe-based mum, 49, shared on her YouTube channel how she was helping her kids write their Christmas lists.

In the clip, Sue and Noel read out some of the requests, and this year the kids are hoping for slime, make-up, sweets, headphones, a PlayStation 5 controller, and a colouring set, among other toys.

Noel said: “Slime seems to be quite popular across the board here.”

This seems a lot more affordable than previous years, with Sue sharing one Christmas how she had spent hours searching for a PS5 and a particular Barbie doll’s house but had to have a rethink when she saw the price.

“We have had to give up on the PS5 and we got the doll’s house eventually, but the cost was disgusting. 

“It is supposed to be £240 but one site was offering it for over £700,” she explained.

In a previous vlog, Sue shared how they had given one of their kids an Evade bike, which can retail for £200.

In the months leading up to Christmas, the parents pinch their pennies to save £5,500 to buy the kids’ presents.

And while most families simply chuck their presents under the tree when they’re wrapped, Sue has a personalised sack for each child so the gifts don’t get mixed up – and to save herself having to buy hundreds of tags.

Of course, wrapping doesn’t come easy, and Noel and Sue also get through a staggering 70 rolls of wrapping paper every year.

Thankfully, Sue considers herself a “demon wrapper”, according to MailOnline, as she can wrap a whopping 20 presents in just 15 minutes and has got her process down to a tee.

She added: “I buy presents through the year, and wrap them as they come in.

“One of our biggest headaches at Christmas is where to hide all the gifts. We have them everywhere — even in the boiler cupboard. The trick is remembering where.”

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Dolls and make-up sets were on a lot of the Radford girls’ lists this year[/caption]

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Christmas day is chaotic but fun with all the presents[/caption]

YouTube/The Radford Family

Sue and Noel also pull out all the stops with their decorations[/caption]

Sue has received some pretty posh gifts over the years as well, in 2022 Noel splashed the cash on a bottle of Penhaligon’s Halfeti Cedar perfume, which costs a whopping £190. 

He also forked out on a bottle of Bvlgari Le Gemme Tygar perfume too, which retails at £268.

And in 2020 the doting dad even treated Sue to a brand new engagement ring, since the diamond fell out of her original one, and the same year he also got her the slightly less romantic gift of a Shark vacuum.

The kids get to open one present on Christmas Eve, which is usually a set of matching pyjamas, before the main event the next day.

During the day, the family play separate games of Monopoly, watch films and play with their presents. 

Their huge 10 bedroom home in Morcombe gets fully decked out too – there’s four Christmas trees with personalised baubles and 25 stockings.

The family famously doesn’t rely on benefits and is totally supported by their pie shop business and have previously revealed they budget all year long to make Christmas as magical as possible.

WITH just 16 days until December 25th, it’s likely that many of us up and down the country already have our Christmas trees up and decorated.

But, it turns out you’ll need to put the festivities on hold and throw away your tree immediately if you spot a ‘pine cone’ like growth.

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Prepare for shivers to go down your spine – but you’ll need to check your Christmas tree to ensure it doesn’t have a ‘pine cone’ like growth[/caption]

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If you spot one, you’ll need to bin it immediately[/caption]

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And if you don’t, you could risk your Christmas being ruined by pests this year[/caption]

And if you don’t, you could risk an infestation with ‘thousands’ of pests leaking over your home – yes, you heard that correctly.

Whilst authentic trees are sure to bring the festive spirit to homes in December, arguably more so than plastic, flat-pack versions, experts have issued a very important and somewhat spine-tingling warning.

It turns out that having a real tree not only comes with pine needles all over your floor, but one particular risk that isn’t for the weak stomached…

According to the pros, not only can real trees cause a bit of a mess, but they can also carry with them some creepy crawlies.

Being that real trees are planted before being sold to customers, it’s likely that they are also home to a number of creatures, particularly insects and bugs.

And even more specifically, it turns out that Christmas trees are actually super-attractive to praying mantises in particular.

Not only may you find such insects in your tree, but you’re also likely to spot eggs too.

With that in mind, it’s advised that you inspect your tree and if you notice a walnut-sized mass hanging off one of the branches or attached to the central trunk, you should bin the entire tree immediately.

Whilst these masses might be reminiscent of a pine cone, they’re actually sacks that could contain 100-200 praying mantis eggs.

These spooky sacks often go undetected by homeowners as they blend in with the colours of the branches.

Most people don’t realise they’ve got an insect infestation until it’s too late, but one high-profile TikTok star named Lexi Natoli has revealed that she recently spotted one on own tree.

Showing what a sack looks like, the content creator advised her followers: “If you see this on your Christmas tree, get rid of it immediately.

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Lexi Natoli took to social media to share the warning[/caption]

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TikTok users claimed it had ‘unlocked’ a ‘new fear’ for them[/caption]

“It might not look like much but this is actually a praying mantis egg sack and they’re really commonly found on Christmas trees.”

She then explained: “When you bring the tree inside, the warmth of your house will cause them to hatch.

New fear unlocked

TikTok user

“You will have hundreds of preying mantis’ running around your house. 

So, do yourself a favour and check your tree.”

Experts warn

According to National Geographic, praying mantis have an average lifespan of one year in the wild, and can grow up to a terrifying 18 inches long.

Pestnet.com advises: “Spraying insect repellent around the entrance to your home via doors and windows can help deter these insects from entering in the first place.

“Be especially mindful of praying mantises in your home during the hottest and coldest months of the year, as they will seek shelter from extreme temperatures.”

It is best to look for the light tan, walnut-sized, frothy egg masses on the tree before it is taken indoors

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture warned: “These eggs will begin to hatch after being indoors for several weeks.

“When this happens, numerous tiny mantids swarm over the tree seeking food.

“Since they are cannibalistic they will eat each other if no other food is available.

This is why I won’t ever have a real Christmas tree

TikTok user

“It is best to look for the light tan, walnut-sized, frothy egg masses on the tree before it is taken indoors.

“Cut out any small twig with an attached egg mass and place it in an evergreen shrub or tree outdoors.”

Social media users react

TikTok users were left horrified by Lexi’s clip, which has since racked up a jaw-dropping 145,100 likes and over 20,000 shares. 

One person said: “New fear unlocked.” 

Another added: “This is why I use plastic.” 

Meanwhile, a third commented: “This is why I won’t ever have a real Christmas tree lol.”

Australia has become the third nation in the world to successfully fire a long-range Tomahawk missile, in a move being hailed for its speed.