World Leaks

TOURIST attraction owners and hoteliers break their backs to get spotless reviews online, often go above and beyond to please demanding customers.

But it turns out all you really have to do is…. nothing. Because there’s a place in Wadhurst, East Sussex, with a faultless run of five-star reviews – called simply the ‘Magic Bench’.

Katrina Turrill

The ‘Magic Bench’ is located by Bewl Water and is tucked next to the bushes[/caption]

Katrina Turrill

The bench doesn’t look too special, slightly weathered, but it’s in a prime spot for viewing the water[/caption]

The pictures online show an ordinary-looking bench, a memorial one, and one that’s perhaps seen better days.

But bizarrely, it has five stars on Google and gleaming reviews spanning back three years.

Is this a targeted campaign by a bunch of locals or an in-joke among mates? Quite possibly, but three years is an impressive length of time to keep a campaign going.

Someone who visited this year wrote: “The most magical bench I’ve ever sat upon. Beautiful view, lovely serene setting and magic all round!”

They visited on a weekday, experienced no wait time, but did recommend reservation.

Other visitors wrote: “If sitting is your thing, then this bench is a must.”

Also: “A wonderful place! An absolutely magical view over the lake! The highlight in the UK.”

And: “Believe the hype! Truly magical!”

Baffled by such positive words, I had to go check out the bench for myself, to see if it truly was magical or just an online hoax.

The bench can be found by Bewl Water – a location attraction which is a great place for walks or water activities.

The best way I found to get to the bench was to park at The Old Vine pub and to follow the track there leading down to the reservoir.

The walk takes about 20 minutes, and once you reach the circular track that goes around the water and start walking anti-clockwise, you’ll find a small opening between the bushes and trees.

It was easy to find and a welcome sight after a tricky walk down in wellies.

I took a seat and waited to see if some ethereal feeling came over me.

It didn’t.

But with no other benches nearby, and after a fast-paced walk down to find it, it was a great place to perch and rest and admire the view.

The bench is tucked in close to the bushes, so feels very much secluded.

And the view is amazing overlooking the still stretch of water, with nothing but the sound of birds and the wind rustling through the leaves…

Maybe this is what everyone meant when they described the bench as “magic”.

Whether the online reviews are a joke or actually real I think is yet to be determined.

Nonetheless, if you’re looking for some beautiful walks and cosy pubs to warm up in this Autumn, I definitely recommend visiting Wadhurst – named ‘Best Place to live in the UK’ by The Sunday Times last year.

Katrina Turrill

The bench offers incredible views of the water at Bewl Water and is a lovely quiet spot[/caption]

Katrina Turrill

The bench is definitely a welcome place to rest after a long walk[/caption]

A RYANAIR flight has been abandoned after an explosion left the wing of a plane on fire.

All 184 passengers onboard were forces to evacuate the aircraft as it sat smoking on the runway in Italy this morning.

No one was injured on the flight from Brindisi to Turin after passengers noticed an explosion that allegedly occurred during taxiing.

Passengers were escorted off on the inflatable slide.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online

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FORMER Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has revealed why he axed cult hero Hatem Ben Arfa from the first team.

Ben Arfa joined the Magpies in a permanent transfer from Marseille in 2011 and quickly became a fan favourite.

PA:Empics Sport

Alan Pardew has revealed why Hatem Ben Arfa left Newcastle[/caption]

Action Images - Reuters

Ben Arfa left the Magpies in January 2015[/caption]

He showed flashes of brilliance throughout his stay at St. James’ Park but struggled with consistency, largely due to a series of injury problems.

The attacking midfielder eventually joined Hull City on a short-term loan before being released by Newcastle in January 2015.

Ex-manager Pardew has now revealed why Ben Arfa didn’t always play despite being such a “talent”.

Speaking on talkSPORT, the 63-year-old said: “Unfortunately for Hatem – who was an unbelievable talent and if you asked which player you’d want to give the ball to to beat two defenders of the players I’ve had in the past it would be him – but I did not play him all the time.

“He antagonised staff and players. He had this way of upsetting the camp. His defensive work was zero. But he was a tremendous talent on the ball.”

After leaving Newcastle, Ben Arfa joined French side Nice in a free transfer and was able to reignite his career.

He scored 18 goals and provided seven assists in his first full season at the club.

His impressive form saw him earn a move to Paris Saint-Germain.

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The midfielder has since played for Rennes, Real Valladolid, Bordeaux and Lille.

However, Ben Arfa has been without a club for the last two years.

He left Lille on a sour note back in 2022 after falling out with several team-mates and then-manager Jocelyn Gourvennec.

SunSport has contacted Ben Arfa for comment.

CAST Away viewers were left stunned in the final episode after Phillip Schofield stripped off to run naked into the sea. 

In the final episode of the shamed TV star’s comeback effort, Schofield decided to try skinny-dipping as his 10 days on a desert island came to an end. 

Channel 5

Schofield was seen running naked across the beach in the final episode[/caption]

PA

Schofield spent 10 days by himself on a desert island[/caption]

Channel 5

The shamed star charged into the darkness, flashing his bum to the audience as he did so[/caption]

Filming the experience he called for a fresh start by burning a list of people he wanted out of his life. 

Setting down the camera, he said: “This next scene, I will shoot, but i need approval. Explicit approval. Thank you!”

He then charged into the water, putting his bare bum on display as he did so. 

“I want to look forward with positivity and joy,” he’s heard saying in a voice over. “What an opportunity.”

Viewers in turn were left surprised at the development – and not entirely pleased. 

Taking to X, one wrote: “Did we really have to see Philip Schofield’s naked bottom?” 

“NO WAY have I just seen Phillip Schofield naked running into the sea,” added another alongside a string of laughing emojis. 

“Skinny dipping is not something I wanted to see midweek,” complained a third.

While another suggested it could be his audition for another reality show, joking: “Oh Jesus. That’s his audition for the new series of Naked Jungle (formerly with Keith Chegwin) in the bag for Channel 5.” 

The episode marked the end of a special three-day series for the presenter, who had disappeared from the limelight after abruptly leaving This Morning and ITV last year. 

While he initially claimed he had resigned, on Cast Away he changed his tune and said he was actually fired by bosses, lying before as it was “neater” for everyone. 

He blamed the arrest and conviction of his paedophile brother, Timothy, for him being edged out of the daytime TV programme. 

In April 2023, Timothy was convicted of 11 sexual offences involving a child – including emotionally blackmailing a child into sex acts.

On CastAway, Schofield refused to name or acknowledge his sibling, telling cameras he had “no qualms” in handing him over to police and claiming he was “praised” for doing so by officers. 

But he adds this marked the beginning of the end of his career, claiming: “Even though they knew all of the facts the papers painted me out to be some sort of complicit agent.

“That was when my world started to collapse. My poor mum, I had to tell her about that member of the family. To break that to your mother is tough.” 

“Everything came to a head the day before he was sentenced when my agent called,” he continued, saying he got a phone call from his manager informing him he’d been let go from This Morning. 

However, an ITV source has claimed that’s a lie, saying he quit when the fallout of the conviction – combined with his “unwise but not illegal” affair with a young runner on This Morning – became too much.   

Schofield has vowed never to work for ITV again.

Cast Away is available on Channel 5 On Demand.

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Not known, clear with picture desk

In the final episode he was seen making himself a fire before saying he ‘wanted to move forward with positivity’[/caption]

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The star blamed his convicted peadophile brother for the downfall of his career[/caption]

‘That is what we are about.’

A visit to Autogig International Resources Ltd. in Gbagada, one of six centers selected by the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi) for free CNG conversion, offered a chance to explore the growing interest in compressed natural gas (CNG). With Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) prices soaring to over N1,000 per liter in some parts of …

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Agatha All Along episode 4Agatha All Along just debuted a new team of heroes to the MCU. As seen in Agatha All Along episode 4, Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) and her new coven continue down the Witches Road and face their next trial. During the episode, a reference is …

Nollywood actress Kudirat Abeniade, better known as Mama No Network, has opened up on her failed marriage to her colleague, Baba Lanko. In an interview with Biola Bayo for her show, Talk to B, she recounted how she and her ex-husband struggled to produce many movies and how he told her of his plans to …

IRAN could be just six months away from having nuclear missiles ready to strike its enemies, an expert has warned.

The Middle Eastern power continues to bolster its nuclear arsenal but US President Joe Biden has refused to support Israeli attacks on Iran‘s nuclear facilities.

Supplied

AP

An Israeli mobile artillery unit fires a shell from northern Israel towards Lebanon[/caption]

Reuters

A projectile is seen in the sky after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles ar Israel[/caption]

An expert who has visited the sites on several occasions has warned that Tehran could have ten nuclear warheads in months.

Former deputy director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Olli Heinonen said if Iran “rushed” they could be ready by April.

He told The Times: “You cannot wipe out a country with those missiles, but you can threaten it and be in a much stronger position in negotiations.”

Other nuclear experts have previously warned that Tehran could produce a bomb in as little as six months from one of its “covert” nuclear hubs.

Although all precise locations aren’t known, it is believed Iran has several hidden weapons facilities – all buried at a depth of 1,640ft underground.

Since 2019, Iran has increased its amount of enriched uranium from 997kg to 5,525kg.

Referring to Iran’s 180-missile attack on Tuesday, Heinonen said the missiles fired at Israel could be used for the delivery of nuclear weapons.

He said: “You just put something different where the payload is and design the weapons package differently so it survives the flight.

“That is why the US and UK are worried.”

It comes as Israel plots a huge retaliation following Iran’s unprecedented missile blitz on Tuesday night.

Iran claimed it used its new high-tech 11,000mph hypersonic missiles for the first time in the attack.

The missile dubbed “Fattah” – meaning “Victory” – was unveiled at a grand ceremony last year.

Furious Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the terror state had made a “big mistake” after it unleashed 181 missiles.

Biden confirmed that the US – which has moved a huge naval fleet into the region – is working with Israel to fine-tune the response.

But the US leader has insisted he is opposed to Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities as a response to Tuesday’s unprecedented missile attack.

He said: “We’ll be discussing with the Israelis what they’re going to do, but all seven of us [G7 nations] agree that they have a right to respond, but they should respond proportionally.”

Reuters

Reuters

Dozens of missiles lined up in a secret underground bunker as fears grow over Iran’s weapon capabilities[/caption]

AFP

A building levelled in an overnight Israeli airstrike that targeted the neighbourhood of Moawwad in Beirut’s southern suburbs[/caption]

AFP

Smoke rises from buildings hit in an overnight Israeli airstrike that targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs[/caption]

Iran blasted Israel with dozens of missiles amid fury over recent airstrikes on Lebanon and the assassination of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah last week.

The attack appears to have damaged Israel’s Nevatim air base.

Satellite images taken on Wednesday show damage to the roofs of a series of buildings near the main runway.

But Israel is pressing on with its ground invasion of Lebanon as it pushes Hezbollah back from its northern border amid ongoing airstrikes on the terror hotbed.

Troops and tanks poured over the border earlier this week for a much-anticipated showdown with the Iran-back terror proxy.

The Middle East now appears a step closer to all-out war as Israel has deployed more troops into Lebanon today.

Israel’s military confirmed infantry and armoured units were joining ground operations in southern Lebanon.

The focus of the operation is clearing out Hezbollah terror sites to halt rocket attacks which have driven 60,000 from homes in Northern Israel in the last 11 months, Israeli sources said.

It claimed actions there would remain “limited and localised”.

But the addition of infantry and armoured troops could suggest the operation has moved beyond limited commando raids.

And Hezbollah’s media boss Mohammad Afif warned the group was “only in the first round” of fighting.

NORTHERN Lights are expected to be visible in parts of the UK and Northern Ireland following two massive solar flares.

Auroral displays are forecast to illuminate skies tonight and tomorrow, and possibly into the weekend, according to the Met Office.

NASA

The sun unleashed the two massive solar flares in a span of just 24 hours[/caption]

PA

Auroras are caused by giant eruptions known as coronal mass ejections or CMEs and solar flares, explosions of radiation on the sun[/caption]

Getty

Though the lights may be accompanied by radio blackouts, which are common with such powerful flares.

The blackouts are expected to range between minor and moderate severity, but may become more apparent as the days pass.

Aurora sightings may be visible across Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern parts of England, according to the Met Office.

The sun unleashed the two massive solar flares in a span of just 24 hours.

The second X-class flare clocked in at X7.1 out of a scale of one to nine.

It is the second biggest explosion of radiation from the sun during its current solar cycle 25, according to Spaceweather.com.

A powerful X-class flare can create long lasting radiation storms, which can harm satellites and have the potential to create world-wide blackouts.

Such radiation expulsions can even give airline passengers flying near the poles small radiation doses, according to Nasa.

The double-whammy solar flare come during a period of heightened solar activity, which is expected to cause a 23-year-high in terms of Northern Lights sightings.

The phenomenon is known as the Solar Maximum, which typically comes around every 11 years or so.

This is when the Sun’s activity reaches its peak, and produces more auroral displays.

There are currently up to nine sunspot regions on the side of the Sun that faces Earth.

Best locations to watch

This week’s Northern Lights display is forecast to only be visible from northern parts of the UK and Northern Ireland.

That’s if the cloud coverage doesn’t shield the display from view.

Shetland Islands – In these Scottish isles, auroral displays are most visible between mid-October and March. But it’s best to avoid the towns and their light pollution.

Eryri, Conwy – Llyn Geirionydd lake, close to the town of Betws-y-Coed, Wales, is a local-favourite viewing spot, with snow-capped peaks in the backdrop.

Malin Head, Inishowen – This is the most northerly point in Ireland, and is one of the best places to see the Aurora Borealis on the island.

Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk – This area was graced with bright aurora lights last year, namely in seaside towns Brancaster Staithe and Happisburgh, England.

Keswick, Cumbria – The Lake District, England, is an over-the-radar spot for aurora hunters, but Derwentwater lake next to Keswick is a great place to photograph the lights.