Did our house harbour Catholic priests?
Liz Heath, who still lives locally, was convinced she saw a woman standing in the main bedroom and she even gave the Russells a crucifix as a gift after they bought the house in 1997.
'I did have the creeps on the first night I moved in. Steve went off somewhere and left me there alone, and I was just sitting in this empty room,' Helen says.
Luckily the Russells haven't heard a peep since, but it's easy to see how the rumour started.
There are several references in manor court books to a house facing Langstone Harbour being used
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BBC News
25 minutes ago
- BBC News
Warning over impact living in hotels can have on children
Staff at a homeless charity have warned of the impact living in temporary accommodation can have on warning comes after Liverpool city council announced plans to launch a new strategy to reduce its use of hotels and bed and breakfasts for homeless are over 450 children living in temporary accommodation in the city at the moment, with 1700 households placed in bed and breakfasts and hotels, according to the latest council McDonald, who works at the Whitechapel centre, said children who had to stay in hotel rooms with their families could be privy to unsettling conversations about money and other worries, which could put "a lot of stress" on them. "They have to go to school and create a façade that everything is normal, when it's far from normal." she added: "The children don't express themselves verbally about what's going on, but it's through all the activities we do with them that we can see this is something that does weigh heavy on their minds."Currently, the council refers homeless families assessed as having the greatest need to a homeless centre, based in Toxteth, Kerry had been placed in five or six different hotels with her toddler before arriving said one hotel was in the city centre where she was surrounded by "drunk people" and another was in a rural location, with no access to transport. She said: "We've been passed from hotel to hotel, room to room. It's hard.""My son didn't like it, he had no routine, just slung into a room with no facilities, just a kettle." She added he had no space to play or move said staying at the centre had been "brilliant" and had "changed her perspective" on her family's said "becoming homeless is something that could happen to anyone" and added, "you never know if you're going to have to leave a domestic violence situation, a fire, flee".Kerry said private rented accommodation was impossible for her because landlords expected so much money Hetty Wood, Liverpool City Council's Cabinet Member for Housing, said: "Homelessness can affect anyone. Families in temporary accommodation, young people leaving care, people fleeing violence, refugees and those facing eviction all need our support. "This new strategy is about prevention, dignity and long-term solutions. It's also about listening to people with lived experience and making sure services respond to their needs. Everyone deserves somewhere safe to stay."The homeless centre is based in a huge Victorian mansion and offers self-contained flats for up to 16 Connor, centre manager, said losing a home is one of the "most traumatising" things that can happen to a said: "Often they've lost all their pets, all their toys, they've moved out of the neighbourhood where all their friends are."They may still be going to school but it's a long way, so they may be turning up late." She said things like free transport passes for children could help keep them in their old schools, and that consistency in education was essential for maintaining stability in children's lives. She added that living in the hotel system can make children feel "removed" from their "old life".Alison added it was becoming harder to find suitable permanent accommodation for the families to move into, sometimes taking 200 days to find somewhere for a small added larger families could be living at the centre for two years "because there's nowhere for them to go".Liverpool city council said the costs of temporary accommodation were projected to rise from £250,000 in 2019 to £28m by the end of this financial year. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
The Sun
25 minutes ago
- The Sun
Mould-ridden wreck with 4 bedrooms, wrap-around garden and seafront views hits market – would YOU put in an offer?
A MOULD infested wreck with seafront views has been put on the market in a popular UK beach town. A selection of grim images show black mould coating the walls of the four-bedroom property. 10 10 Located in Bournemouth, the home has been listed for a staggering £600,000 on Purple Bricks, as reported by Luxury Property News. The images also show furniture and rubbish that has been strewn across the living room and kitchen, while an outside wall is covered in graffiti. While the home does offer a wrap around garden and short walk to the seafront, it has fallen into a complete state of complete disrepair. It is also complete with three reception rooms, three showers, a large garage, and a kitchen in need of replacement. 10 10 The property description reads: "Spacious four-bedroom detached family home in Bournemouth in need of complete refurbishment, within close proximity of Bournemouth town centre and its award winning beaches. "The home offers versatile living spaces, including two reception rooms, a kitchen (in need of refitting), and three bathrooms." I scrub my council house walls but they're COVERED in mould & crumbling away - I have two disabled kids, it's disgusting The description also highlights the property's large garage and off-road parking, as well as the offering of a separate office and snug. It adds: "Externally, the property boasts a wrap-around garden. "The front of the property includes a spacious driveway offering ample parking and access to the garage. "The home is offered for sale with no onward chain and presents an excellent opportunity for modernisation, making it an ideal choice for investors, developers or families seeking flexible living in the sought-after Meyrick Park area." What is mould and how to get rid of it? Mould is more likely to grow during the winter months. Olivia Young, Product Development Scientist at Astonish revealed exactly why this is. "Unfortunately, mould is a common problem many people face during winter. It thrives in conditions that are warm and damp, so your bathrooms are likely to be the most affected place. "That said, during the colder months most rooms in your home could be vulnerable to mould growing. "This occurs primarily from condensation that builds up on your windows when you've got your radiators on. "If you think about it, when windows and doors are closed, there's not much chance for the air to circulate and the moisture to make a swift exit. "This build up is what can cause dreaded mould to make an appearance, especially in bathrooms, as it creates that warm and wet environment that is a breeding ground for mould. "If left untreated, not only is it unsightly but it can also pose a serious risk to your health, so it's really important you treat it. "The key to tackle mould is to act fast. "Try to come into as little contact with it as you can. So, grab your gloves, tie up your hair and get to work to remove any signs of mould as soon as you notice them. "To keep mould at bay, there are some simple solutions you can introduce throughout home. "The first is keep it ventilated. Yes, even in the cold winter months try to leave your bathroom window open for at least 10/15 minutes post shower or bath. This will get rid of any excess moisture quickly preventing mould gathering. "If you're having a repeat problem with mould in one particular area, it might be because the humidity levels are too high. You can get a dehumidifier that will help keep the levels low and reduce the risk of mould returning. "The golden rule to remember when dealing with mould is the quicker you can treat it, the better. If you leave it, it will only get worse so never ignore it! "To successfully get rid of mould every time, I recommend opting for the UK's No 1 Mould & Mildew Remover, that effectively removes mould and mildew stains almost instantly, with no scrubbing necessary." 10 10 10
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Can the Millbrook Wool Luxury 4000 mattress really keep you cool at night? I slept on it in a heatwave to find out
In simpler times, everyone slept on sprung beds. A few rebels opted for futons (or even waterbeds), but back in the 20th century, most of us had mattresses with tufted surfaces and a belly full of springs that bounced when you jumped on them. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Memory foam began sneaking into our beds in the 90s, ushering in a brave new world of cushioned peace. Most of the products I've considered for the Filter's best mattresses roundup contain memory foam layers to boost comfort and limit bounce. But traditional sprung beds remain unstoppably popular, and one example – the Millbrook Wool Luxury 4000 – is a bestseller at Mattress Online. I slept on the Millbrook during some of the hottest weeks of the summer, that annual ordeal of fruit flies and night sweats. Memory foam is notorious for trapping heat, so this seemed a good time to find out whether Millbrook's old-fashioned breathable design could help me stay cool and get a decent sleep. I was sent a double-size Millbrook Wool Luxury 4000 in early May, when the days were warm but the nights reassuringly cool. My family testing panel came over to rate it out of 10 for firmness and comfort when it was fresh from its wrapping. They also helped me run lab-style experiments with heat pads, weights and wobbly cups of water to measure its sinkage, motion isolation, heat retention and edge support. My husband, Alan, and I slept on the Millbrook for six weeks until late June. By then, the heatwave had descended, and Alan had moved to the spare room. (Don't judge. When it's 28C in your bedroom at night, the last thing it needs is another human.) This gave me a chance to test the mattress as a solo sleeper on some of the muggiest nights of the year. The Millbrook Wool Luxury 4000 is affordable for a pocket-sprung mattress of such hefty construction. Its RRP is high (£1,214.63 for a double), but Millbrook sells this mattress only through third-party retailers, which normally knock off hundreds of pounds. Mattress Online has the double for £615.94, while B&Q was asking for £620 at the time of writing. Mattress Online's prices range from £453.57 for a single to £1,146.20 for the superking zip and link. The Luxury 4000 sits in the middle of Millbrook's range of pocket-sprung mattresses, both in terms of price and spring count. The most affordable is the Wool Ortho 1000 (£415.20 for a double) and the most luxurious is the Supreme Collection 11,000 (£1,899), which has more than 10 times the number of springs of its cheapest cousin. There are actually 5,000 springs in the Luxury 4000: one layer of 1,000 large pocket springs between two layers of 2,000 'Comfonomic' micro springs that add bounce and help offset the firmness of the pocket springs. Most pocket-sprung mattresses, even the budget Ikea Valevåg, use other materials to cushion the springs. That doesn't make them hybrids ('hybrid' usually means a mattress that contains memory foam, gel or latex as well as springs), but it does make them more sophisticated than the cheap fabric-wrapped boxes of springs that you may have slept on as a child. The Millbrook contains 11 layers in all, including cotton, silk, 'cashgora' – from cross-breeding cashmere and angora goats – and wool sourced from Millbrook's Hampshire locale. The viscose-cotton cover is tufted with Hampshire wool, and one of the tufts is black to represent a black sheep – a lovely touch. The edges are stitched and reinforced with a metal rod for extra support, so you can't remove the cover to stick it in the washing machine as you can with the Otty Original Hybrid or the Simba Hybrid Pro. The mattress is double-sided and needs regular turning to avoid dents where you sleep. Full disclosure: Alan and I left it more than two weeks before we flipped the mattress in exasperation at the dents we'd created – and only then realised we should have been turning it once a week for the first month. This is a more frequent flip recommendation than many mattresses, and also unfortunate, because the Millbrook is an absolute beast to manoeuvre. At 28cm deep and a thumping 65kg for the double, this behemoth is one of the heaviest mattresses I've ever tested. Even Millbrook suggests that you 'seek assistance' when turning it, so bad luck if you live alone. At least you're helped by having two turn handles on each end as well as along each side. Millbrook describes the Luxury 4000 as 'medium to firm'. This was accurate initially, but it's no more than medium once you've slept on it for a few weeks. Before sleep-testing, my family scored it 8/10 for firmness, and it sank a maximum of 19mm under 7.5kg of weight. After one month, it scored 7/10 and sank 35mm. This is within the 40mm 'acceptable settlement' specified by Millbrook and is caused by the compression of fibre layers. You get a 10-year warranty, although you'll have to register your mattress within 60 days of purchase to benefit from it. Mattress Online also offers a 60-night trial, during which you can return it for an exchange if you don't get on with it. Type: pocket sprungFirmness: advertised as medium to firm; testing panel rated as 8/10, then 7/10Depth: 28cmCover: not removableTurn or rotate: turn weekly for four months, then every monthTrial period: 60 nightsWarranty: 10 years once registeredOld mattress recycling: £35 with Mattress Online if you buy a new mattressSustainability credentials: Millbrook Beds uses no memory foam or chemical treatments; all fabrics and fillings are 'from sustainable sources'; Planet Mark certified The Millbrook was the first mattress I've tested that arrived mattress-shaped, rather than vacuum-shrunk into a plastic-wrapped sausage. It was shipped by Mattress Online and delivered the next day by AIT, whose drivers offered to carry it to any room but left it in the hallway as requested. I should've taken them up on the offer. Alan and I got it upstairs with some difficulty (Alan was literally doing all the heavy lifting there). We found it relatively easy to unpack thanks to the absence of shrink-wrap polyurethane, although there was still plenty of plastic sheeting to take to the dump. The Millbrook was ready to test and sleep on immediately, and there was none of the chemical 'off-gassing' smell that I've experienced with memory foam hybrid mattresses. Sign up to The Filter Get the best shopping advice from the Filter team straight to your inbox. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. after newsletter promotion The Millbrook Wool Luxury 4000 was Goldilocks-perfect at first, neither too firm nor too soft. Its upper layers yielded quite a bit over the weeks, and I was less disappointed than my husband about this: I liked the way it cradled my hips, knees and shoulders when I slept on my side. If you live with joint pain, you'll welcome the pressure relief. Night sweats weren't completely avoidable, because no mattress can actively cool you down on a sweltering night – it can just avoid trapping your heat. The Millbrook genuinely helped me dial down the sogginess, but couldn't stop it completely. I'll be interested to see if its temperature-regulating powers help in winter, too, when I'll be seeking warmth rather than trying to escape it. After Alan left for the solitary cool of the spare room, I often found myself switching to his vacant side of the bed halfway through the night. Not only was it drier, but it also felt firmer, because the fabric layers had decompressed and regained their full size. This would help to explain why the mattress benefits from such frequent turning. The compression of the layers never felt like sagging, in the way that memory foam can. The Millbrook's edge support is the best of any mattress I've tested. The edges are so robust that they sink significantly less under weights than the middle of the mattress does; about 1cm less under 7.5kg of hand weights. The edges lost no height at all after we'd slept on the Millbrook for a few weeks, either. As well as making it easy to get in and out of bed, this strong edge support suggests that the Luxury 4000 has the durability to last many years. The comfort layers gave the Millbrook slightly better motion isolation than the Ikea Valevåg, but it's still no match for memory foam when it comes to absorbing the bounce of springs. Its hilly surface made it difficult to test motion isolation with a glass of water, but test it we did – and the results were messy enough to confirm our suspicions that our tossing and turning was more noticeable than on a hybrid. Even though I like a bit of cushioning, I felt slightly cheated when the initially firm surface gradually smushed beneath me – I could see and feel the indentation where my body had been lying. The surface decompressed quickly when not being slept on, which I liked, but that's not much help when you're craving more pushback in the middle of the night. I didn't feel much benefit from the Millbrook's 'ErgoZone 7' zoned layout, which uses thicker-gauge wires for firmer support under your hips, head and feet. This may be because I'm barely 5ft (152cm) on tiptoes, and the world and its mattresses tend to be designed for adult men. But then Alan – 5ft 10in (178cm) and average weight – didn't seem able to find the firm zones either. Memory foam is one of the least sustainable materials used in furnishings, and its absence here gives the Millbrook the best environmental credentials of any mattress I've reviewed. Even the simplest pocket-sprung mattresses usually contain synthetic material, such as the polyfoam in the Ikea Valevåg. Millbrook's decision to use only natural, biodegradable fibres for its soft covers and fillings adds to the price, but has considerable benefits in sustainability and durability. Millbrook Beds' Sustainable Sleep page is full of information about its materials and practices. Neither wool nor cashgora is vegan, but Millbrook sources the wool locally in Hampshire. The mattress's cotton content involves a more emission-heavy journey because it's grown in the US, but it is at least natural, renewable and biodegradable. All Millbrook mattresses are treated to meet flame-retardant standards using 'a fully biological solution'. This has helped the company earn certification by sustainability bodies Planet Mark and Sedex. Buy this mattress if you love the breathability of a pocket-sprung bed – and sleep well knowing that it's more environmentally friendly than a memory foam hybrid. The Millbrook doesn't retain heat in the way that foam can, and its wool layers can help regulate your body's temperature through the sweaty and shivery excesses of summer and winter. Just be aware that it may feel too soft if you like your beds on the orthopaedic side, and its weekly turning requirements will be a real challenge if you live alone. Jane Hoskyn is a consumer journalist and WFH pioneer with three decades of experience in rearranging bookshelves and 'testing' coffee machines while deadlines loom. Her work has made her a low-key expert in all manner of consumables, from sports watches to solar panels. She would always rather be in the woods
