World Leaks

EASTENDERS fans think they have ‘worked out’ how Stacey Slater will leave the BBC soap.

On Monday, actress Lacey Turner revealed she is pregnant and expecting her third child.

BBC

Stacey Slater will once again disappear off screens for a number of months[/caption]

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Rex

Fans worry for another dramatic storyline[/caption]

However, this will mean that the 36-year-old actress will have to take time away from the BBC One serial drama.

Last time Lacey was on maternity leave, Stacey’s storyline involved a stint in the slammer.

She was sent down for GBH when she was falsely accused of attacking Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton) and she pleaded guilty for a lesser sentence.

Fans think that the character could go through a similar storyline as she takes another break from EastEnders, potentially because of her part in The Six and Keanu’s murder cover up.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one fan stated: “Looks like ar Stace is heading to prison….again.”

A second commented: “Congratulations to Lacey Turner who is pregnant with her third child, but commiserations to Stacey Slater who is heading for her third prison sentence.”

“I’m not ready for stacey to end up back in prison again,” raged a third user.

While a fourth asked: “Is the live episode audience vote going to be for us to decide which crime Stacey commits in order to go to prison whilst Lacey goes on maternity leave?”

However, some Walford enthusiasts had alternative suggestions for bosses.

They suggested that the beloved character has a more quiet exit from the serial drama to simply go away and look after her cousin Lynne Hobbs’ (Elaine Lordan).

“I BEG she’s there for the live anniversary ep… can we not give her another prison sentence, can she just go visit Lynne or something,” posted a fifth fan.

As someone else begged: “PUHLEASE can Stacey just go off and look after Lynne for a few months or something!!! I can’t cope with another Stacey in prison storyline!”

And a seventh viewer added: “Just cart Stacey and the kids off to Lynns for a temporary new life away from the square for Lacey’s maternity exit I f****** beg you. I can’t deal with another bloody prison stint or have her abandon her kids.”

Lacey is already mum to Dusty, five, and three-year-old son Trilby who she shares with her husband Matt Kay.

The pair were childhood sweethearts and they tied the knot in Ibiza back in 2017.

She announced her happy news with a post on Instagram, posting cute photos of the family on a beach while holding her baby scan.

BBC

Stacey was previously sent to prison when Lacey was last regnant[/caption]

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Fans begged bosses not to send the character down for a crime again[/caption]

BBC

Instead, they suggested that she should go and look after her cousin Lynne[/caption]

EastEnders is available to watch on BBC One and stream on BBC iPlayer.

HOLIDAYMAKERS are set to benefit from new rules which could save them £100s on their phone bill.

From today (October 1), Ofcom has imposed new regulations for energy providers which will help protect mobile phone users from being unexpectedly charged while abroad.

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New rules are coming in to force as of today (October 1)[/caption]

Under the new rules, providers must warn customers when they start roaming in the EU or elsewhere to protect them from what’s known as “inadvertent roaming“.

This is when you are travelling across a border and connect to another country’s network without meaning to.

For many major UK networks, roaming can cost as much as £6 per MB – which is the equivalent of listening to two minutes of music.

This means spending just 20 minutes on your phone could cause you to rack up a £60 bill without you even knowing.

But from today, providers will need to alert customers when they begin roaming or reach their spending caps.

They will also have to signpost customers to free information on the roaming costs of where they are visiting.

Before Brexit, phone users could use existing call, data and text allowances in Europe at no extra cost.

But now it is a very common experience to face unwanted charges. Ofcom said in March that 14% of UK customers had experienced inadvertent roaming in the previous 12 months.

This also rose to 22% of customers in Northern Ireland, where devices inadvertently roamed signals from the Republic of Ireland.

In cases such as this, people have even reported facing roaming charges from their own home.

Sue Davies, head of consumer protection policy at Which?, has previously criticised the lack of regulations which were in place for holidaymakers.

She said: “The new rules do fall short by not suggesting that providers should give compensation to UK residents who have inadvertently fallen foul of roaming charges, and failing to outline what this looks like.

“When the UK negotiates future trade deals, it must seize the opportunity to lower the cost of roaming for consumers travelling around the world.

“The UK and EU should also agree a deal on roaming charges that stops people facing extortionate bills from providers.”

From today further prevention of unexpected bills is possible, however there has been no mention of those who have been previously charged gaining compensation.

Uswitch’s mobiles expert Ernest Doku pointed out that “while this is good news there is still inconsistency between providers – meaning a lack of clarity for consumers, who were hit with £539 million in unexpected roaming charges in 2023.”

How much does it cost to roam in the EU?

The amount you will be charged varies depending on your network provider.

Inadvertent roaming rates can also vary extortionately, so it’s important to let your provider know before you travel.

When managed correctly, here is what you will have to pay when roaming abroad:

• EE: £2.47 a day for contract customers, or if you have a plan with Inclusive Extras, you can purchase a Roam Abroad Pass for £25 a month. £2.50 a day, or £10 for seven days, if you are pay-as-you-go. 50GB “fair use” limit.
• Three: £2 a day for contract customers, no charge for pay-as-you-go. You can buy a Data Passport for £5 for unlimited data in 89 countries. 12GB “fair use” limit.
• Vodafone: £2.42 a day, or buy a European Roaming pass for £12 for eight days or £17 for 15 days, if you’re a contract customer. From £7 for eight days if you are pay-as-you-go. 25GB “fair use” limit.
• Sky: £2 a day. No “fair use” limit.
• Voxi: £2.45 a day for one day, £4.50 for two days, £12 for eight days, or £17 for 15 days. 20GB “fair use” limit.

O2 doesn’t charge customers roaming charges for using their phones abroad although it does have a 25GB “fair use” data cap.

To review your roaming charges before you travel, visit your provider’s website and either get in touch using the phone number or via your online account.

If you don’t want to pay for roaming and want to stick to Wi-Fi, go to your phone settings, then Mobile Data, and switch off Mobile Data Roaming.

You won’t be able to connect to data while abroad, but you’ll also have the peace of mind that you’re not being charged.

How to cut mobile costs

If you want to save on extra roaming costs, it’s always best to connect to Wi-Fi whenever you can.

Most hotels and cafes now offer wireless internet free of charge – if there’s a password, go up and ask the staff.

You should also check before you join your provider whether they offer a roaming add-on, which automatically provides you with a small allowance for data roaming free of charge.

Mobile users often set their budget for the month by installing a cap on their data usage.

UK networks now enforce automatic caps on data usage worldwide, which is usually between £40 and £49 – although you can set your cap much lower.

One quick way to cut the cost of your mobile phone contract is by going SIM-only.

You can get one of these deals if you have already paid for your handset.

They come with a certain amount of minutes, texts and mobile data.

Since you are not paying for the cost of the mobile with a SIM-only package, you can save a hefty amount of money.

We also recommend you dedicate a good amount of time to shopping around and speaking to other providers.

Comparison sites like Uswitch, MoneySuperMarket and Compare the Market are good places to start, but it’s also useful to ask personal opinions and experiences of people you know to work out what will suit you.

Once you’ve found the best deal for you, you can use it to haggle with your current provider if it is offering you a worse price or package.

If your provider refuses to reduce its price, you can always walk away and take the different deal with the new provider.

Ofcom‘s coverage checker is also a useful tool to find out what provider network is strongest to use based on the signal in your area.

And if you’re on certain benefits, you could also be eligible for a social mobile tariff, which could save you £100s a year.

To find out whether you might be eligible, visit the government website or contact your local council.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

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MILLIONS will see their energy bill rise by £149 as Ofgem’s new price cap comes into force today, Tuesday, October 1.

Households previously paid £1,568 a year but the figure is now set to rise by nearly £150 to £1,717.

Around 29million customers on their energy providers’ standard variable tariff (SVT) are expected to see their bills rise.

Ofgem updates its price cap every three months, setting a ceiling on how much suppliers can charge for each unit of gas or electricity.

It was created five years ago to protect customers from being overcharged by suppliers.

But it is worth bearing in mind that the £1,717 figure is just an estimation given by the energy regulator.

It is calculated assuming that a typical household uses 2,700 kWh of electricity and 11,500 kWh of gas over a 12-month period.

Those who use less electricity will pay less, while those who use more will have to pay more.

The exact amount you pay is based on a number of factors, including where you live, your supplier and how you pay for your gas and electricity.

There are 14 different “Distribution Network Operators” across Britain, who can dictate your energy costs.

For example, those in Northern Scotland will see their bills rise to £1724.47 up from £1577.66 starting today.

While households in North West of England will see their bills increase to £1,689 up from £1,533.

Those in the South West will pay the most, with the average annual bill costing £100 more at £1,766 a year.

These varying prices occur because generating gas or energy is cheaper in some areas than others.

Your regional standing charge, which is how much you pay to stay connected to the grid, also varies depending on where you live.

For example, those living in the northern region (North East England) pay the highest standing charge in the country.

A typical household here will now be charged £379 as of today.

While prices are expected to be high for the next three months, experts are predicting a fall come January.

Cornwall Insight has published a new forecast predicting a £20 drop in the new year to £1,697.

Dr Craig Lowrey, principal consultant at Cornwall Insight said October’s rise is a “temporary blip”.

He said: “Typically some of the coldest months of the year, often bring with them the biggest energy bills, and – while our latest forecast is welcome news – it remains subject to the volatile wholesale gas and electricity markets.”

Make sure you pay the lowest rates

There are two types of rates that you can pay on your energy bill, fixed or a standard variable rate.

A fix is when you lock in a set price for a certain period which is usually 12 months.

That is different to a standard variable rate which can go up or down depending on Ofgem’s price cap, which changes every three months.

A number of energy suppliers have reduced the rate of their fixed deals, meaning customers have a chance to save if they switch.

For example, EDF has launched a is £1,568 a year fixed deal for a typical energy user paying by direct debit,

This deal is £149 cheaper than the upcoming cap.

It is worth bearing in mind that you will still be charged more if you use more energy.

You check out the best fix rate deals below:

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A MAN cut off his penis with a blunt axe after taking ‘magic mushrooms’ and storing it in a snow-filled jar.

Doctors are calling it a first-of-its-kind case, highlighting the serious dangers of psychedelic drugs​.

Alamy

This incident is the first known case of psilocybin leading to severe self-mutilation[/caption]

While on holiday in Austria, a 37-year-old man consumed four or five mushrooms, leading to a disturbing trip that drove him to use an axe to mutilate his penis into several pieces​.

Shortly after the dismembering, the man staggered out of the home and dragged himself down a nearby street, bleeding profusely, while searching for help. 

A passerby found him in a confused state and took him to the neighbouring town before calling for emergency services.

Once he arrived at this hospital, he was immediately carted to the operating room, where doctors got the bleeding under control.

Parts of the penis which had been badly contaminated by soil and dirty snow in the jar had to be discarded.

But the head of the penis and 2cm of the shaft were intact and were successfully reattached, despite being left for nine hours without blood flow.

About a week later, some skin on the tip of the newly reconstructed penis began to die due to a lack of oxygenated blood flow, known as necrosis.

But doctors successfully treated the condition and reversed the damage.

Despite these efforts, the man continued to experience hallucinations and even attempted to escape from the hospital at one point.

He was moved and placed under psychiatric care, and his treatment included antipsychotic medications to help control his delusions.

Doctors then discovered that the man had smuggled magic mushrooms into the hospital, stashing them on his bedside table, which they figured was behind his ongoing hallucinations

His mental state gradually stabilised, and after a week, he was moved back to the urology department to continue his recovery.

Despite the drastically reduced size of his penis, his erectile function returned, and he was able to pee on his own.

Writing in the Mega Journal of Surgery, medics said: “Achievement of erection is remarkable due to the extent of destruction of the penis.”

The surgeons offered to circumcise the penis, which would give the shaft a longer appearance.

Getty - Contributor

However, they said the man was “currently satisfied with the present situation and does not wish for further surgery at this time”.

They added: “To our knowledge, this is the first report of psilocybin-induced penile amputation with subsequent macroscopic replantation”.

Psilocybin is the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, which are illegal in the UK.

Taken recreational, the drug can make you feel euphoric and giggly.

But it can also trigger episodes of psychosis, especially in those with pre-existing mental health conditions.

The man had a history of depression and problematic drinking habits before eating the mushrooms.

Medical-grade psilocybin is currently being explored in the UK for its potential to treat depression, particularly in cases where traditional treatments have failed.

Experts are also researching psilocybin as a treatment for anxiety and PTSD.