Latest news with #ThePiedPiper
Irish Daily Mirror
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Galway Races; Follow the Pied Piper in the First
Gordon Elliott's Pied Piper can register a fourth consecutive win by taking the first, a maiden hurdle, at Galway (2.10) today. The Cullentra-based seven-year-old smashed it last time out, even if it was only a field of three at Roscommon, winning by 27 lengths. The negative may be that Pied Piper is giving weight away to all the others here but as a winner of four hurdle races and three chases previously, don't doubt he is a competitor. The song The Pied Piper is a proven stayer too albeit the singer Crispian St Peters (born Robin Smith) wasn't the most reliable - in fact, he was an insufferable, pretentious git. An instantly recognisable plaintive tune, The Pied Piper landed in the summer of 1966 and was a top five hit in the UK and US: "Hey, come on babe, Follow me, I'm the Pied Piper, "Follow me, I'm the Pied Piper, And I'll show you where it's at." The problem was that while the song was easy-listening on every radio station almost all of the time… It was the singer who wouldn't shut up, insufferable doesn't do justice to him. Among other things, he was claiming to be a better song-writer than the Beatles (he didn't even write The Pied Piper!). He claimed his stage show made Elvis Presley look like the Statue of Liberty, that he was more exciting than Tom Jones and on and on and on. Our Pied Paper with Jack Kennedy on board, even if there is the daunting idea there are four Willie Mullins runners in this 11 strong field, can hit all the right notes at circa 4/1. Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts.
Daily Record
16-07-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Experts warn against viral hacks to keep pests out of homes this summer
Many popular methods might not be as effective as many believe. Following on from last weekend's heatwave, temperatures in Scotland are continuing to warm up. However, with hot weather comes unwanted visitors. During the summer months many households grapple with the nuisance of pests invading their homes. If ant, fly or even rat infestations go untreated, they can lead to health hazards, including E. coli and Salmonella. While there are many hacks to control pests ourselves, not all of them are effective. Experts are nowdebunking some of the common DIY pest control 'myths' to help you banish the bugs for good. Tony King, owner of pest control company The Pied Piper, said: "Prevention is your most valuable do-it-yourself method. I always stress how important it is to seal up crevices and holes, as mice can slip into dime-sized holes and rats can slip into holes that are the size of a 20p coin. Steel wool combined with caulk or foam sealant is great to work with when sealing these gaps up, like around pipes on sinks, in utility closets, or in the basement. It's also a good idea to store all of your food from the pantry in air-tight containers, like rice, pasta, cereal, and even pet food. Eliminating the food sources is merely half the battle.' Pest Control Hacks that don't work Using Peppermint or Eucalyptus Oil to repel insects or rodents Article continues below If you're out of mouse traps or don't want to call an expert, you might be tempted to use peppermint or eucalyptus oil to keep mice away. While it's true that some pests don't like strong smells, natural oils aren't a long-term solution, and they'll often just find another way into your home. Using bucket traps or sticky boards to kill rodents Tony said: "With mice, do-it-yourself traps like bucket traps or sticky boards are a tempting option. But if you're not able to catch a single mouse, such methods barely scratch the surface. "Rats are clever, typically suspicious of foreign objects, and sticky traps can result in prolonged suffering without addressing the root issue. An outbreak of full scale requires exclusion work, sealing entry points, and careful baiting methods that most do-it-yourself kits cannot offer.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Using white vinegar or a mixture of lemon juice and water to keep ants away While it's true that acidic chemicals such as vinegar and lemon juice will kill or deter ant pheromone trails, this won't affect their nests or colonies as they often linger in walls or under building foundations. Spraying vinegar on countertops or windows and hanging bags of water to repel flies Flies often buzz around food and our kitchen bins, and fruit flies love food scraps in drains. Some people try spraying white vinegar on the counter in an attempt to attract and then trap flies, but it isn't enough. Another common hack is hanging bags of water to repel flies, but there are no proven beneficial effects of this. Sprinkling baking soda on mattresses or rubbing alcohol on a bedframe to repel bed bugs If you're experiencing a bedbug infestation, you might be tempted to use common DIY tricks like sprinkling baking soda on mattresses to dehydrate them or using rubbing alcohol, but these are not reliable solutions. While baking soda's dehydrating properties could kill a bedbug, it won't affect the colony, nor will rubbing alcohol. Josh Clarke, from the London waste removal experts Clear It Waste, said adequately securing garbage is key if you have a pest infestation or suspect one.
