Latest news with #Anneke
Daily Mirror
02-08-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Next's 'great quality' £60 boots that can be 'worn all night' reduced to £15
The price markdown on these Next Black Leather Forever Comfort Chisel Toe Chelsea Ankle Boots means customers can save £45 Next has slashed the price of a sought-after pair of black ankle Chelsea boots, which many customers praise for their high quality and comfort that lasts all night. In the retailer's latest online clearance event, the Black Leather Forever Comfort Chisel Toe Chelsea Ankle Boots have been discounted to just £15, tumbling from the original £60. This significant reduction allows shoppers to save a hefty £45. Next touts these ankle-high boots as " stylish" and highlights their smooth leather construction with a chisel toe and a "stretchy" elasticated side panel for ease. They also feature a zippered fastening for simple slipping on and off. Next further notes: " A Forever Comfort cushioned footbed provides cushioned comfort, finished with a short heel." The boots boast a 5cm heel and come in sizes ranging from a UK three to nine, though stock is already dwindling in some sizes. Customers can opt for either a standard or wide fit, with two colour options available: classic black and a chic navy. For those considering other similar styles, Amazon offers the Rodawu Women's Ankle Chelsea Boots at £38, available in three shades. Meanwhile, Debenhams has cut the price of the Wallis Wide Fit Alma Faux Suede Kitten Heel Pointed Ankle Boots to £22, down from £55, reports Coventry Live. With an impressive average rating of 4.7 out of five stars, Next's Black Leather Forever Comfort Chisel Toe Chelsea Ankle Boots have won over shoppers. A customer named Anneke shared her satisfaction, saying: "Very good quality, comfortable and smart. Reasonable price." One satisfied customer shared: "Lovely boots, wore them out last night and they were comfy all night including the walk home! Looked great with trousers." Another added: "Super comfy and stylish boots. Just what I was looking for!" However, not everyone was thrilled, as one disgruntled buyer reported: "Very poor quality. Save your money and put it towards a better quality pair of boots," after experiencing the leather peeling off after minimal wear. Another noted a slight issue, saying: "The reason for 4 starts rather than 5 is that the fit around the lower ankle is not quite right for my foot.... but being suede, I expect them to soften and fit better over time." Despite some niggles, the bulk of feedback was glowing, with many five-star reviews. Praise continued with one person commenting: "Beautiful navy colour and material. Very comfy, they look smart and stylish." Another said: "Perfect for wide feet. Fits great and very comfy to walk in. Very flattering don't make feet look wide. Good quality." A customer who opted for the 'extra wide' version expressed delight: "Fantastic to be able to buy fashionable footwear in 'extra wide' sizing. These boots are super comfy, but elegant at the same time, thanks to the shaped heel. And there is adequate room inside for a lightly padded insole if needed. The blue is a greyish navy, which suits my intended outfits perfectly."
Scottish Sun
02-08-2025
- Scottish Sun
I was trafficked into VIP child sex abuse at ‘orgy castles' – when I begged for help my mum did something unforgivable
The mother-of-one, now 61, recalls allegedly being tied naked to a butcher's block MUM'S BETRAYAL I was trafficked into VIP child sex abuse at 'orgy castles' – when I begged for help my mum did something unforgivable Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ''I was very outgoing and a very bossy little girl,'' says Anneke Lucas about her younger self. But by the age of six, Anneke says she was forced to work for a sick 'club' that operated within Belgium's upper class. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Anneke was allegedly forced to work for a sick 'club' from the age of six Credit: unfiltered stories/youtube 4 Anneke, now 61, claimed that her late mother would drive her to the alleged paedo orgies Credit: unfiltered stories/youtube The mum-of-one, now 61, claimed she was raped for more than 1,700 hours before escaping at the age of 12 after the alleged five-and-a-half years of abuse. She has never gone to police with her shocking claims because she said she was scared into silence after allegedly watching kids getting killed by sadistic members as a 'warning' to others. Anneke previously told SunOnline: 'It really was the most horrendous crimes you can imagine. "Children were killed in the most brutal way because members were afraid they would speak out. 'And to make it worse, the abuse was from politicians and officials the public had put their trust in." At the time, a spokesman for the Federal Police in Belgium said they were unable to comment on Anneke's claims. Anneke claimed said she was sold into the sick paedo network by a cleaning lady who worked for her family in 1969. After gaining her mum's trust, the cleaning lady started to take the little girl on ''outings'' packed with children - who ''seemed to change all the time'', Anneke explained as she shared her brutal past with Unfiltered Stories. The fun lasted a year - before Anneke, unbeknownst to her at the time, was taken to ''an event''. 'I was used for an S&M show, on a low stage, chained up with an iron dog collar, and made to eat human faeces. Cops found me being raped by illegal immigrant at 14 but put me in handcuffs, they let grooming gangs abuse me for years 'Afterwards, left lying there like a broken object, I felt so humiliated,'' she told The Sun in 2017. But then came the biggest blow. After trying to find fitting words to explain what she had been brutally subjected to, Anneke's mum did the unforgivable. ''Instead of protecting me and taking me, she actually started to drive me [there] herself.'' Then, Anneke claimed, she was ''trafficked into a paedophile network that at the time consisted of the VIPs of the country''. I would definitely be killed if I spoke out - and that was made clear Anneke Lucas The gruesome crimes were allegedly committed by ''a mix of politicians and high-placed officials'', ''the clergy, as well as aristocrats''. Despite wanting to break free, Anneke felt as if she had no choice but to endure the suffering - or the consequences would be fatal. ''I would definitely be killed if I spoke out - and that was made clear.'' The first three years, Anneke recalled, were ''very extreme''. ''I was sometimes taken to the bars and given to the men there. But other times, I was taken to the castles [...] and then at the late hour, the younger children would be brought in.'' What Is Human Trafficking? Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labour or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide – including right here in the UK. It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. Traffickers might use the following methods to lure victims into trafficking situations: Violence Manipulation False promises of well-paying jobs Romantic relationships Language barriers, fear of their traffickers, and/or fear of law enforcement frequently keep victims from seeking help, making human trafficking a hidden crime. Traffickers look for people who are easy targets for a variety of reasons, including: Psychological or emotional vulnerability Economic hardship Lack of a social safety net Natural disasters Political instability. Source: Blue Campaign Some days, Anneke claimed she would be taken to ''somebody's house'' after her mum took her out from school to drive her daughter to the sick paedos. Her mother, she added in the gut-wrenching video, would be ''paid for this''. "Children were killed by sadistic members. Boys were more often used for torture than girls, but girls were killed. 'It was the worst thing you could imagine,'' Anneke shared with The Sun in 2017. Tied naked to a butcher's block During her years of emotional and physical abuse, Anneke said she felt as though she lived a double life because she still lived at home and attended school in the week. "I felt isolated and different from everyone else," she said. "I was shy, with few friends. No one cared for me. "It was strange because I was viewed as a beautiful object inside the network. Intelligence was valued and encouraged. "That is not how I felt in my home and school life." She claimed she eventually escaped the horrific network at the age of 12 after almost being 'tortured to death' inside a small room in one of the member's homes. Anneke claimed she was tied naked to a butcher's block while five other children were forced to mutilate her with kitchen tools. 'I was strapped to a butcher's block that was black with the blood of all the children that had come before me. I still have scars all over my body Anneke Lucas 'One man was forcing five young children to harm me. It was part of their indoctrination. 'There was a crate with everyday hardware tools: screwdrivers, a pen knife, a belt with nails which was put around my arms, a fish hook and an apple corer. 'The apple corer was to make the biggest cuts. The man also stubbed a cigarette out on my arm. 'I still have scars all over my body. 'One girl left a penknife stuck in my arm. She accidentally twisted it as she pulled it out. 'I felt all the pain at once, like being stung by a swarm of bees. 'The blood trickling down my body tickled me. That was the worst part. 'I became scared and I thought I was going to die like all the other children who were not loved enough. 'It was the darkest moment of my life." 4 The young girl was allegedly saved by a member after being tortured on a butcher's block Credit: Anneke Lucas Being saved by a member But just when she thought she was minutes from death, Anneke was allegedly saved by one of the members. She said that someone who was inside the sick network did a deal and she was released. "The agreement was that the man was going to go to work for the politician who was the boss of the network." The moment she was finally released, Anneke - covered in blood - was in a state of shock. The other children victims brought Anneke her clothes. She eventually left Belgium in the 80s and moved to Paris and Los Angeles before settling in New York. ''In 1988, when I was 25 years old, I was walking downtown Los Angeles, near Skid Row, and got a faint, specific whiff of human feces, and was assaulted with the memory of the extreme humiliation I had suffered as a child,'' she told Global Citizen. The mum-of-one - whose daughter is in her early 20s - now teaches yoga in jails as part of her non-profit organisation, Liberation Prison Yoga. She has battled post-traumatic stress and depression in the years since the harrowing ordeal. ''It takes so much energy to survive not only the physical violence, but to endure the psychic drain of abuse — to carry the shame,'' Anneke shared with the publication. But she says she has used a combination of therapy, yoga, meditation and writing to come to terms with what happened. Anneke has also started a petition to raise awareness about trafficking which has attracted almost 49,000 signatures.
New York Post
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Forget hot girl summer — Gen Z women instead want to stay at convents and monasteries with nuns: ‘Vow of silence summer is in'
Bye, Hamptons shared houses — this summer, it's all about the convents. Gen Z women are opting for a peaceful summer — with nuns this year. Summer is usually a time when singles look to book shared houses by the beach, bar hop until the wee hours of the morning or drink fun cocktails on sunny rooftops. That's not the case for Gen Z. Young women are not only giving up swiping on dating apps, they're now looking to protect their peace even further by taking a vow of silence and booking stays at Catholic convents and monasteries for the summer. 3 It's all about having a peaceful summer for the Gen Z girls. Anneke – Yes, you read that correctly. In case you're unfamiliar: a vow of silence is the act of being verbally silent, only communicating through writing or sign language. Considering a quarter of a million Americans experience burnout by 30 — spending a summer getting in touch with one's spiritual side sounds like the ideal peaceful escape. 3 People are raving about their experience staying at convents and monasteries. New Africa – This quiet trend has become so popular that guests are being put on a waitlist for these holy stays, as pointed out in one woman's viral TikTok video. '…I booked a vow of silence at a Catholic monastery late last year and the booking process is reallly straightforward — you just email the nuns, they give you some dates. Overall, they're really flexible,' @mc667868 said in her post that has garnered over 700,000 views. 3 The content creator was shocked at how popular the vow of silence trend has become. TikTok/@mc667868 Explaining she had a great experience her first time around, when the content creator went to book her stay this summer — she was shocked to learn that the monastery was fully booked 'for the next three months.' 'Maybe we can start a resy app for vows of silence,' she ended her video, saying. Her video racked up thousands of comments from other women, wholeheartedly supporting this unexpected trend. 'the call to be a nun is too strong rn.' 'brat summer is out, vow of silence summer is IN.' 'i lived with nuns last summer (they're Episcopalian). legit the best three months of my life, they are so cool and fun. i worked in their garden and lived in a cottage for free.' 'I tried to apply in FEBRUARY to live in an italian monestary with the nuns this summer and they were already fully booked.' 'The girlies are FED TF UPPPPPPP and this is the proof.' 'I feel the nuns have been expecting us. They knew our last nerve would disappear at some point.'
