Stella Rimington battled communists, terrorists and literary critics
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Daily Mail
20 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Mum trades her busy UK life to live in luxury in huge villa in Spain with a pool and private gym - and saved £100k in the process
A British mother has revealed how she and her family uprooted their lives in the UK to move to a spacious villa in Spain with a pool and gym - and reduced their cost of living by thousands. Bridie moved abroad with her husband, two teenagers, three dogs and cat five months ago - and says their new 'huge' home cost £100,000 less than her property back home. The project coordinator has been sharing her and her family's transition from Essex to the sunny Mediterranean holiday hot spot n social media, leaving viewers stunned. She gave a virtual tour of her palatial new abode in the port city of Alicante on TikTok. Starting at the front door, Bridie entered a huge living area, then went through to the bedrooms, many of which had their own en-suite bathroom. She then showed off the roomy dining area and Spanish-style kitchen that led out to the massive garden with fruit trees and sweeping mountain views. The lavish home sits on a large plot of land, acres away from neighbours, offering privacy and quietness. Outside, the property has an enormous garage as well as a pool, a vast lawn and a pool house with another bedroom and bathroom. Bridie said she and her family viewed 18 houses before falling in love with the one they ended up buying. The mother revealed that the family plan on doing renovations to the house and garden to add another en-suite inside and a games room, fire pit, outdoor kitchen and gym to the garden. Viewers were wowed by the incredible home and garden, with many expressing their jealousy. 'It's lovely, so much space and seems a peaceful location,' one user said. 'Absolutely beautiful. A total dream. This is what I wish for,' another wrote. 'Well done. Renovations can be done in your own time. Most importantly, you're all out there. Much better environment for all the family and friendly people too,' a third replied. 'Sooooo much property and land for your money over there. You can see why so many people do it,' someone added. In the UK, Bridie lived with her family in Essex in a four-bedroom house with stunning views. Bridie said she and her family viewed 18 houses before falling in love with the one they ended up buying She said the house was 'perfect', but she didn't like having to work hours on end to afford the mortgage. 'Back in the UK, you feel like you're just working to pay the bills, so the reason we sold it was to be able to move over to Spain and buy a cheaper house to get rid of the mortgage and have less outgoing,' she explained. 'Believe it or not, this home sold for £100k more than what our Spanish home cost us, therefore less outgoings all round. 'And yes, it's big but you get a hell of a lot more for your money in Spain compared to the UK.' The expat said while she loved her British home, she was inspired to move to somewhere sunnier as she 'dreamt' of a life where she could work less and spend more time with her family. 'UK weather is not always sunny, we get a hell of a lot of rain and I wanted to be able to be outside more, enjoying the sunshine in Spain,' she added. Bridie said she was able to get a digital nomad visa to live and work in Spain, and it took two and a half years of planning. The Briton explained the visa lasts up to three years, after which she will reapply for another two years before getting full residency. 'We always knew we wanted to move abroad, but the time was never right, but when is the time ever right?' she said. 'The whole process of moving to Spain took about two and a half years. It's not easy to move from the UK to Spain; there are lots of different visas. 'We went down the digital nomad route because my job is all online-based, I do project coordination for a company back in the UK.' She added that her job involves organising events like fitness classes for the business and that she was going to the classes herself six days a week while in the UK - but she has chosen to live a slower life now that she's in Spain. 'I do feel like I have a lot of spare time now that I'm out here, it's very quiet, it's very relaxed,' Bridie admitted. She recommended that those who want to do the same move to join Facebook groups to get information and advice from people who have been through the process themselves.
Scottish Sun
23 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Clarkson's Farm star Harriet Cowan reveals new gig with BBC after emotional message following exit from show
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CLARKSON'S Farm favourite Harriet Cowan has bagged a brand new gig with the BBC. The vet captured fans' hearts with her calm and caring presence on Diddly Squat – and now she's swapping muddy fields for a fresh challenge. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 Harriet Cowan revealed she's been busy working on Farm Watch Credit: Instagram 5 She also led the social media campaign Farm 24 Credit: Instagram Harriet, 24, joined Jeremy Clarkson at Diddly Squat Farm as Kaleb Cooper's temporary replacement, offering her expertise and displaying her passion for farming. But she left Jezza's farm after Kaleb returned and her work was complete, even though fans pleaded to bring the star back for the next series. Harriet revealed she's been busy working on Farm Watch – a brand new series shining a light on rural life. She even took over BBC Derbyshire's social media last night to give fans a behind-the-scenes peek. They talked about how farmers across the country marked Farm24, an annual event that aims to showcase the best of British farming. People are encouraged to share content about their farming endeavours across social media for 24 hours from 5am to 5am the following day. Harriet, who now boasts over 550,000 followers, led the campaign. Taking to Instagram, she told her followers: "I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone that supported Farm 24 and BBC Farm Watch yesterday. "It was an amazing day that showcased so many farmers and how hard a 24 period on a farm actually is for every single farmer out there. "So a massive, massive thank you. Thank you so much for listening on all things Farm 24 and our BBC Farm Watch radio presenting show last night." Clarkson's Farm's glam farmhand Harriett Cowan's emotional message about farming after exit from show This comes after Harriet shared an emotional message about farming following her exit from the show. In a video, she said: "Farm24 is showcasing to the general public, over a 24-hour period, what a farmer gets up to. "The Government should invest more time and money into farming because we need it. "It's a bit of a dying industry otherwise. "Going forward, I hope that the next generation of farmers will be recognised more by the public and the Government, especially to put British farming on the map and for people to be aware that we are here. "Being part of the community is probably the most rewarding part for me. "You have your neighbours and you're all in tune with each other. "You can talk, and if you're having problems, they'll all be there to help you." Her poignant message comes one month after we told how the farmer was hoping to rake in the cash following her TV fame after setting up her own business. Following her instant fame, she has set up a private company called Farmfluence, incorporated on July 1. PR expert Lynn Carratt has speculated on just how she could earn in the future. Speaking to The Sun, she told us: 'Harriet has around 1.2 million followers across Instagram and TikTok. "If she is savvy she could rake in £500,000 in the next 12 months.' 5 Harriet left Jezza's farm after Kaleb returned to work Credit: Amazon Prime 5 But fans want the star to stay on the show Credit: instagram
Daily Mirror
23 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Woman takes video of Magaluf party strip in 2025 and reality is devastating
An eye-opening video shows the sad reality of the once-bustling Magaluf strip – as a local questions whether it has 'changed forever'. So would you still visit? Magaluf, once synonymous with sun-soaked fun, beach frolics, and raucous nightlife, has seen its allure wane lately. And a stark video exposes the sad state of this once-thriving Majorcan hotspot. At the start of the season, the sight of vacant sun loungers was telling. What's more, pub landlords confessed to adjusting opening hours in response to the changing tourist demographic. This downturn in visitor numbers is attributed to stringent measures against disorderly holidaymakers. The notorious Punta Ballena strip came under fire when former Majorca official Jose Ramon Bauza denounced it as "500 metres of shame". Bauza's scathing critique followed an incident where a young woman was duped into performing indecent acts for what she believed was a complimentary holiday, only to be rewarded with a cocktail mockingly named 'Holiday'. Additionally, hefty fines up to £50,000 were imposed for perilous balcony-jumping antics. Then, in a bid to curb 'drunken tourism', strict alcohol rules were enacted. All-inclusive resorts scaled back their free-flowing booze, street drinking incurred fines of £1,300, and late night closures of off-licences were enforced. These regulatory shifts appear to have deterred tourists, leading to one holidaymaker showing the current sombre scene in Magaluf this summer. In a video shared on TikTok earlier this week, the question was posed: "Has Magaluf Strip changed forever in 2025? Not what I expected in August 2025." Alex, a British woman who has been working in the travel industry for over two decades and residing in Majorca since 2005, expressed her surprise. The YouTuber, who has nearly 50,000 subscribers, confesses she's "absolutely passionate about promoting the island positively". However, she was taken aback during a recent visit to Magaluf. She ventured into the lively area around 11pm, revealing how eerily quiet it was as she strolled down the strip. The road, typically bustling with taxis, seemed deserted for most of the night. Alex remarked: "I thought it would be a lot busier than this, I am quite surprised to see Magaluf like this. It looks more like April... I can't believe it. It's not looking very busy at all. Despite the presence of numerous security guards outside bars, Alex noted they were "not needed really". She pondered: "Is this the way Magaluf is going?" The Majorca resident speculated that Palma Nova could potentially become "the new Magaluf", having noticed increased activity in this area. However, she admitted it "still [isn't] the crowds expected in August". On YouTube, viewers voiced their opinions about the transformation of the popular party destination. One reminisced: "Back in the day, you wouldn't be able to move in Magaluf in the peak summer months." Another lamented: "Dead atmosphere, it's a bit sad. It's got an end of season feel about it. I remember going more than twenty years ago in August and the streets and bars were all packed." One person expressed their concern: "Feel very sad to see the bars empty like that. If this continues a lot of bars will close the doors this season and not reopen next year." A former rep reminisced: "I repped there in 2008 for Thomas Cook in the hotel which used to be Majorca beach now Meliá south beach, we used to take 500 people onto the strip on bar crawl once a week, it used to be rammed." Some have even admitted to abandoning Majorca for other destinations that offer better value for money and a warmer welcome to tourists. An individual revealed their travel plans: "I'm going to Rhodes next Saturday. It costs less than half of what I'd have to pay in Majorca. And they welcome tourists."
