Club Brugge looks to return to the round of 16 with a win as they face Atalanta. It is time to continue our Champions League odds series with an Atalanta-Club Brugge prediction and pick. In the first leg, Club Brugge played host. They would strike first, scoring in the 15th minute on a goal from […]
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SHOPPERS are racing to their local supermarket to pick up flowers slashed in price.
Hopefully, everyone was treated to a nice bouquet for Valentine’s Day this year, but if not, you’re in luck, as you can treat yourself for a fraction of the price.
Eagle-eyed shoppers spotted that Sainsbury’s had slashed the price on its Valentine’s roses to just 1p for a single rose.
And one man says his stash has made his wife very happy.
Sharing the bargain buy on Facebook, Jav Mal wrote: “Don’t walk to Sainsbury’s, RUN!
“Mrs was very happy.”
Jav took a picture of the display of roses left over from Valentine’s and shared it on the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK, a private Facebook group with 2.6million members.
The flower buckets were still relatively full, so there were plenty for others to pick up and grab themselves a bargain.
The display showed single red roses reduced to 1p as well as bouquets of a dozen roses for the same price.
Also on offer was a rainbow rose, also slashed down to the same price.
While some of the flowers may look like they might die soon, there are some savvy ways to get them to last for weeks.
Start by cutting stems diagonally and removing any excess leaves from the cuttings.
This will make sure the flower gets all the nutrients.
You can also help open the rose up by gently peeling the petals back to give them a fuller appearance.
Adding a few drops of bleach to clean water will help kill off bacteria and make the flowers last longer while a spoonful of sugar will keep the flowers fed.
Shoppers were quick to take to the comments of the post and were eager to pick up the bargain too.
Nick Hamilton owner of Barnsdale Gardens has shared his favourite plants and flowers you should consider adding to your garden, borders and pots.
Tricyrtis
A spectacular plant that gives a real exotic feel to any garden with its orchid-like, spotted flowers giving the impression that this plant should be tender but it is “as tough as old boots!”.
Penstemon
I love this plants genus of because most will flower all summer and autumn. They’ll grow in sun or semi-shade in a well drained soil and produce a non-stop display of tubular flowers in an array of colours and colour combination to suit all tastes.
Luzula sylvatica ‘Marginata’
With the evergreen leaves edged with yellow it’s great asset is that it
will grow in sun or shade in any type of soil and is great as groundcover in the hardest spot to fill – dry shade.
Eryngium x zabelii ‘Big Blue’
A stunning, nectar-rich plant that will feed the beneficial insects in your
garden. Leave the flowerheads once they have turned brown because they look stunning with winter frost and snow, extending the plant’s interest period.
Sarcococca hookeriana ‘Winter Gem’
If you need winter scent then look no further than this compact, evergreen shrub. The scent is stunning and the evergreen leaves create an excellent backdrop for the summer flowers.
Cornus sanguinea ‘Anny’s Winter Orange’
A dwarf version of ‘Midwinter Fire’ the very colourful stems create a stunning winter display, particularly on sunny days.
Rosa ‘Noisette Carnee’
A very well-behaved climbing rose that is perfect for training over an arch, pergola or gazebo. The small, “noisette” flowers are blush-pink and produce the most amazing clove scent constantly from June to November.
Sanguisorba hakusanensis ‘Lilac Squirrel’
I’ve never seen a squirrel with a drooping, shaggy lilac tail, but this variety will give your garden an unusual and different look throughout summer. It does need a moisture retentive soil but will grow in sun or semi-shade.
One person wrote: “I’d buy the lot for 1p.”
Another tagged their friend, commenting: “No excuses lol.”
“Don’t come home without one of these,” penned a third.
Meanwhile a fourth said: “Literally going now.”
“There’s still time,” claimed a fifth.
Someone else added: “Just shows how overpriced they were.”
Fabulous will pay for your exclusive stories. Just email: fabulousdigital@the-sun.co.uk and pop EXCLUSIVE in the subject line.
DONALD Trump will allegedly withdraw US troops from Nato’s frontline with Russia in the Baltics as part of its surprise Ukraine peace agreements.
The US President shocked the world when he revealed he spoke to Vladimir Putin last week about brokering an end to the almost three-year deadly invasion.
Alleged details about the fraught negotiations revealed Kyiv and Europe were being iced out of these talks.
Putin reportedly wants all Nato forces removed from his neighbouring Western countries, per the Financial Times.
European officials now believe Trump could cave to this and remove the US troops that have been placed in the countries bordering Mad Vlad.
The former Soviet nations – Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania – could be placed in a vulnerable position with this apparent proposition.
It is not clear exactly how many US troops are stationed in the area but around 600 are positioned in Estonia, according to the US Embassy.
These shock apparent plans comes after a permanent military base was set up in Lithuania.
This site was due to hold 5,000 soldiers and be fully operational by 2027, but Trump’s peace talks could throw this into disarray.
This could leave these smaller nations at risk of Putin’s terror as Nato warned the Russian tyrant could launch a wider war, past Ukraine.
Trump repeatedly vowed to end Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine throughout his re-election campaign.
He made a huge step towards this by arranging to meet Putin in Saudi Arabia soon for talks but Zelensky insisted Ukraine would not accept any peace deals reached without Kyiv’s involvement.
Other peace measures reportedly considered by Trump include banning Kyiv from joining Nato and declaring neutrality.
Another potential clause could be Russia keeping the five regions it has annexed in Ukraine – Crimea in 2014 and then Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk and Zaporizhzhia in 2022.
Ukraine could also be asked to withdraw from the Kursk region of Eastern Russia.
This comes as US Defence Secretary Keith Hegseth said it was “unrealistic” for Ukraine to return to its 2014 borders before Putin invaded Crimea.
Hegseth also confirmed on Wednesday that the US doesn’t want American troops to be involved in defending the country.
Trump also said he has struck a deal for $500billion worth of Ukrainian rare minerals in return for military support the US gave.
Trump told Fox News that Kyiv could decide it didn’t want to deal – but that Zelensky had agreed to trade military support for key minerals.
He said: “We are going to have all this money in there, and I say I want it back. And I told them that I want the equivalent, like $500 billion worth of rare earth.
“And they have essentially agreed to do that, so at least we don’t feel stupid.”
Trump demands $500billion worth of rare Ukrainian minerals as repayment for past military support.
More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online
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A MAN has been jailed for 18 months after he threatened to publish intimate images of a woman online and then sent her hundreds of degrading and abusive emails
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Craig Coyle, 37, and the woman had been in a relationship for a number of months having met on the dating site Tinder in December 2022.
They began their relationship early the following year and broke up in September 2023.
Coyle, of Holly Court, Ballybrack, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to publish intimate images of the woman without her consent on September 23, 2023.
He also pleaded guilty to harassment on dates between September 2023 and December 2023 and two charges of trespass at the woman’s home on December 23, 2023 and January 19, 2024. He has no previous convictions.
The offence falls under legislation known as Coco’s Law, which criminalises sharing or threatening to share intimate images without consent. The penalties include fines and/or up to seven years’ imprisonment.
Today, Coyle was handed a three-year prison sentence, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions, including that he engage with the Probation Services, disclose any intimate partner relationship and engage with appropriate programmes and services.
Imposing sentence, Judge Pauline Codd said the serious nature of the offending and its impact on the victim were among the aggravating features of the case.
Just Codd said: “No one should be visited with what the victim went through. The case had to be marked with a custodial sentence in all the circumstances.”
The judge also imposed an order that Coyle have no contact with the injured party on a permanent basis.
At a previous hearing, Judge Pauline Codd read a number of the emails Coyle sent the woman, including one which the prosecution said was too graphic to be read into the record.
Judge Codd noted that the woman had to purchase a security alarm after she caught Coyle outside her home one winter’s evening in 2023.
Describing Coyle’s behaviour as “horrendous”, the judge said: “He was prowling around her home in the early hours of the morning”.
The woman read her victim impact statement into the record and said she had gone from someone who didn’t set her alarm at night to someone who “has a house alarm and cameras on 24/7”.
She said her mental health has deteriorated because of Coyle’s “depraved, degrading and disgusting” messages to her.
She said: “No one has ever spoken to me with that level of hatred.”
She said her self-esteem went to zero and she began to worry that she’d lose her job. She also started to worry that Coyle would be there when she came home from work.
The woman said: “I am not the person I was when we first met. I am a shell of my former self.”
NEW RTE star Siobhan Lam has revealed the sweet secret meaning behind the name of her store – and how it has caused many to call her by the wrong name
The acclaimed interior designer, who is the newest face on RTE’s Home of the Year judging panel, also told how she was “surprised” at how “passionate” the show made her about some stranger’s homes.
The RTE series showcases Ireland’s most jaw-dropping houses, and returns to screens tomorrow night for a new season
Siobhan, who owns and operates a home interior store in Dublin’s Rathmines, joins returning judges, Hugh Wallace and Amanda Bone, this time around.
And the “sappy” interior consultant told The Irish Sun how her love for her husband helped spark the name for their shop, April and the Bear.
She told us: “I was trying to come up with an idea for a store. And a friend of ours said, ‘What do you love?’ And … this is going to sound very sappy now, but I love my husband.
“He’s this tall, hairy, handsome man who I call the bear, and I am born in April… So, we just stuck them together, and that’s the name, and it’s funny, it is a talking point, and a lot of people call me April, but that’s not my name. “
Aside from her joint sense of style with her husband, Siobhan said when it comes to a home’s interior she has one preference: “I love all different types of styles, but I definitely adore colour.
“I think colour, when you bring it into a space, it just energises a space. It’s fun, it’s playful, like, if you see my door, it’s pink. I just think that embracing colour is the way to go.
“I also adore industrial aesthetic. I think adding eclectic elements into a home brings back the personality of the homeowner. So I would definitely be more into the bold.”
And despite years of experience in the design game, Siobhan can still be inspired and surprised by some of her clients’ approaches to spaces.
Stepping into some of the country’s best-designed homes provided Siobhan with no shortage of fresh inspiration.
She explained: “It was actually really inspiring for me, just to see how different homeowners approach their homes.
“It was fantastic to see how they brought their personality into those spaces. And a lot of them were a blank canvas with a lot of them being contemporary new builds, but they brought so much flavour and personality to these spaces. It was really inspiring to be involved with.”
One thing that blew her away with some some of the contestants’ homes is the perfect hack for all mums, she said: “Particularly I found, I was blown away by some of the storage solutions.
“They were just fantastic and totally seamless. You wouldn’t even have known that they were there. That was one of the main things I took away from it was learning from the designs. People’s approach to functionality more so than even like aesthetics.”
She added: “You know, every home is different, I think, just from me personally, as a mum and as somebody who lives in the city, a lot of the time space is limited.
“I found with those homes that were a little bit smaller, the homeowners had really put so much thought into storage, and storage isn’t necessarily something you want to talk about. It’s not too exciting, but it is really crucial in our lives, especially if you’ve got, you know, a big family.”
This season isn’t Siobhan’s first time on the telly, or even on Home of the Year, as she, in a previous season, served as a consultant.
Meaning, she was very attuned to the personal tastes of Hugh and Amanda and was prepared to fight for her favourite home if it spoke to her.
She said: “We all have our own opinions, and we’re all actually quite different than what we like. You know, Amanda adores a very paired back aesthetic. Hugh loves a bit of drama, and I adore colour. So, I think we all kind of stood our ground this season… there was a few tense moments.
“But they are incredibly knowledgeable about architecture, about homes and that kind of created a lot of interesting debates.”
She added: “I was surprised by just how passionate I got about the homes. Because obviously, it’s a competition. You feel you kind of champion certain competitors or certain homes across the series.
“Obviously I adore homes, and I’m enthusiastic about every home that I come across in some capacity. But I think the fact that it was a competition, and we had to score these homes, you really do take on a certain home, as you know, your home.
“You really get to know the personality of the homeowner from the home. And by the end of it, I was really, really passionate about certain homes.”
Despite their strong on-screen personas and tentative debates about scoring, Siobhan conceded that Hugh and Amanda could not have been more accommodating in easing her into the season.
She said: “Yeah, they were texting me. We were in a WhatsApp group, which was so lovely, because I was like, I have no idea what’s going on, but they were so lovely. Like Amanda reached out and she gave me so many just like watch out for this and watch out for that. So they’ve been so welcoming and lovely.”
Despite seeing dozens of contestants’ favourite spots in their own homes, where would Siobhan place her red spot?
She admitted: “I would put it up in our main bedroom, away from the noise. It’s a very calm space. We’ve got lots of lovely greens and pinks and grays. So it’s a very peaceful room. It’s nice and big.”
CRISIS-HIT Manchester United were without 12 first-team players for the dismal 1-0 defeat to Tottenham as they fell to a record-low 15th place in the Premier League table.
Man Utd’s 12th defeat in 25 league games has left them 12 points above the drop zone and the last time things were this bad at Old Trafford the club was relegated from the top flight.
To make matters worse, with key stars Amad Diallo and Lisandro Martinez out for the season, Ruben Amorim had to name eight teenagers, including seven academy stars, on the bench to face Spurs.
Yet it seemed an uneasy burden for the 40-year-old as he made just one change by bringing on Chido Obi in injury time – a baffling decision given how underwhelming those on the pitch were playing.
In what is maybe the understatement of the season, Amorim said it was a moment “when everything is going wrong”. Yet there is a small ray of hope he can lean on: An 87-year tradition of promoting youth.
Going back to before World War Two, the Red Devils have named at least one academy graduate in their squad since Tom Manley and Jack Wassall made the team-sheet in 1937.
It is a run stretching back 4,279 games – with names such as Bobby Charlton, George Best, Mark Hughes, Paul Scholes, David Beckham and Marcus Rashford among the club’s illustrious list.
Carrington has provided time and time again in moments of crisis for the Red Devils, and thanks to Nick Cox and his outstanding team, it is one of the few parts of the club fans can still be immensely proud of.
Amorim understandably wants to be “careful” with the latest crop of stars by not rushing their development, but with the club financially crippled through years of mismanagement, new signings to fit his system will also be hard to come by.
Amorim trusted youth at ex-club Sporting Lisbon, and in time he will likely learn to do the same at United, but who are the stars Amorim must now turn to to help salvage United’s season?
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Jack Moorhouse was the talk of the town when it was announced he was set to travel with the first-team to Tottenham following the quadruple midfield injury crisis thrust upon the Red Devils.
Moorhouse scored twice when Amorim went to personally watch the Under-21s as they beat Southampton 5-1 in December.
Often playing as an advanced midfielder, Moorhouse is favoured for his exceptional ball-carrying ability which has seen him labelled as a Paul Pogba 2.0 and compared to Morgan Rogers.
United are crying out for reinforcements following the departures of Rashford and Antony, and with Amad’s long-term injury, Moorhouse may be given minutes in one of the two No.10 roles up for grabs.
Perhaps the second-best-known player on the list to United fans after a certain striker, Amass has long been touted as a star of the future.
The left-sided defender has drawn numerous comparisons to the profile of Luke Shaw in the past, with the former Southampton star even saying Amass was one to watch for the future.
He has been selected in senior teams before and was named in the Red Devils Europa League squad at the start of this season and it is no shock that there has been interest in his signature from Premier League clubs.
With Tyrell Malacia being sent out on loan, Amorim needs reliable options to play left wing-back, so watch this space for the dynamic defender to play when £25million signing Patrick Dorgu is rotated out.
The son of Man Utd cult hero Darren Fletcher, the teenager has followed in his dad’s footsteps by becoming a midfielder. He was poached from the academy of Manchester City in the summer of 2023 alongside his twin brother, Tyler.
He has impressed at youth level having been nominated for the PL2 Player of the Month award, while his first time being included in a senior matchday squad came against Brentford.
Fletcher is left-footed and said to be an all-action dynamo, equally capable of picking up the ball from his centre-backs and playing through the lines as he is crashing the opposition box.
That gives Amorim a nice versatile option to add to his depleted arsenal of weapons as United continue to compete across three fronts.
The goalkeeping department was probably one of the last things on Amorim’s mind in January, but injuries to Altay Bayindir and Tom Heaton have left only Andre Onana as the only senior shot-stopper.
Harrison had been on loan at National League North side Chester until January when United recalled him after a successful four-month spell, although appearances in the FA Cup mean he is cup-tied.
After a stellar youth campaign in the 2023/24 season, Harrison became the youngest recipient of the Denzil Haroun Reserve-Team Player of the Year since Adnan Januzaj and only second the goalkeeper to win the award.
Chester boss Calum McIntyre said the teenager, who turns 19 on February 19, has “unbelievable pedigree” at Old Trafford. And should Onana suffer any injury, Harrison will be parachuted in to try and provide safe hands between the sticks.
Relatively speaking, Tyler Fredricson has less hype surrounding him than his counterparts. But in fairness, very few central defenders generate the same hype as their more attack-minded team-mates.
Although that is not to say he is any less capable, in fact quite the contrary. He signed his first professional contract with the club in 2022 and has had a steady rise through the ranks since then.
A regular England youth international, Fredricson played a vital role in the Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup final success in 2022 despite missing the final through sickness.
Fredricson may be behind fellow teens Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven in the pecking order, but with Lisandro Martinez out for the season and squad needs elsewhere it is easy to imagine him picking up some first-team minutes before the season concludes.
Sekou Kone was snapped by Man Utd in a £1m transfer from Malian outfit Guidars last summer, and has swiftly been promoted to be in and around the first team a number of times already.
The defensive midfielder made waves at the 2023 Under-17 World Cup as he helped Mali finish third and then in an Under-18 tournament in April 2024.
Despite being dubbed as the next Yaya Toure, he is viewed as a long-term option in the No.6 spot and is being groomed to be ready for the first team, possibly as Casemiro’s long-term in-house replacement.
Under-21s lead coach Travis Binnion told the club website last month that Kone was going to be a “really good player”, but that first, he needed to get to grips with the language and learn the physical demands of being a United No.6.
Heaven was poached from Arsenal at the end of the winter transfer window for a compensation fee of around £1.5m and has gone straight into the first-team squad.
The central defender was a star in the Gunners academy and was rewarded by making his senior debut earlier this season with ten minutes of action in the League Cup against Preston.
Being left-footed with a large 6ft 2in frame earmarks a potential move to find a long-term successor to Martinez at left centre-back owing to the Argentine’s injury issues.
Heaven is also considered capable of playing as a box-to-box midfielder, which had led to comparisons to Patrick Vieira.
Last, but certainly not least, is Obi, the wonderkid who has scored goals for fun in youth football playing for Arsenal and now for Man Utd.
Obi has scored 12 goals in nine FA Youth Cup and Under-18 league matches since joining, adding to his all-time record of 41 total goals in the Premier League U18 competition, including ten in one game against Liverpool aged 15.
He scored a 15-minute hat-trick on his Man Utd debut this season and before Man Utd’s clash at Tottenham, he bagged a hat-trick in the FA Youth Cup against Chelsea.
Amorim described the 17-year-old as “clever” despite only giving him two minutes to try and impact the game, but Obi publicly thanked the Portuguese for making him the 252nd academy graduate.
MANCHESTER UNITED slipped to a 12th defeat in the Premier League with Rasmus Hojlund coming under fire again.
Here’s how SunSport’s Katherine Walsh rated the Manchester United players against an underachieving Spurs side – who are now three places above them in 12th – in North London.
Andre Onana – 3
United can’t do anything with him between the sticks. Can’t be trusted to collect anything.
His opposite number Vicario showed him a thing or two after returning for the first time since Spurs thrashed Man City in November.
At fault for the first goal when he palmed out a relatively weak bouncing shot into Maddison’s path in the 13th minute.
Noussair Mazraoui – 5
An OK performance. Clever link-up play with Zirkzee but couldn’t get hold of Spence down the left-hand side.
Pulled out an excellent cross for the Dutchman’s headed chance late-on.
Matthijs de Ligt – 6
His clearance stopped an obvious 2-0 before the half-an-hour mark.
Harry Maguire – 5
A mixed bag. Long ball over the top for Hojlund’s chance in opening 10 minutes and went on a few attacking runs himself in the first half.
Did well to stop Dejan Kulusevski from having a go at the edge of the box. But bizarrely stopped in his tracks when a cross came flying into Son later on.
Diogo Dalot – 6
A difficult afternoon for the Portugal international as Son and Djed Spence left him for dead a few times.
Hesitated when asked to shoot from five yards to make it 1-0 but helped Onana out with some clearances too.
Patrick Dorgu – 4
A Prem debut to forget. He was almost invisible from the left-hand side. And lacked quality when asked to get involved more in the second half.
Was stupidly caught offside with Bruno Fernandes offloading a stunning cross pitch pass and booked late-on.
Casemiro – 5
Looked every bit a player that hasn’t played Premier League football for two months. Unsurprisingly booked for a late one on Son.
Bizarrely dropped to the turf asking for a free-kick when nobody touched him. Was forced to play 89 minutes with eight teenagers on the bench. A difficult afternoon, indeed.
Bruno Fernandes – 5
Interceptions and breaking up play is not a part of the captain’s game. An uncharacteristically poor cross left United open on the counter.
Did get back to stop Son from having a shot at Onana on the hour mark and started ticking in attack in the final 20 minutes.
Alejandro Garnacho – 4
Looked shaky and cut a frustrated figure after blazing over an absolute SITTER from 10 yards to level the scores.
A bit of a shocker and looked a completely different player to the one who got United into the fifth-round of the FA Cup last week.
Woke up a bit in the second half as Vicario kept him at bay with several superb stops. But the 20-year-old is clearly better off the bench.
Joshua Zirkzee – 6
The best of a desperately poor front three. There’s a street player in there and he’s great with his touches at times.
But curled wide from 23 yards, stuck a header wide in the 70th minute and kicked an air shot in the final five minutes.
Rasmus Hojlund – 3
Is Hojlund the worst No 9 in United’s recent history?
The young Dane, who was unlucky to have a chance saved by Vicario, was second best in every loose ball and kept losing possession.
He was even caught offside after a pass from an Onana goal-kick in the first half – how often do you see that happen?
There are other stars not mentioned above who could make their debuts in 2025 such as James Scanlon, Shea Lacey, Gabriele Biancheri or Godwill Kukonki.
United have also sealed a £7m deal for Paraguayan defender Diego Leon, who will officially join in the summer.
These rising stars all naturally come with the caveat of being given the time and patience to develop slowly.
Last season’s big academy graduate, Kobbie Mainoo, has looked knackered this season after being run into the ground over the last 12 months including with the England national team at the Euros.
A physical breakdown seemed almost inevitable, and the dynamic midfielder is now estimated to be out for at least six weeks.
Even big-money signing Yoro has been wrapped in cotton wool under Amorim, but hopefully, when the time comes he will have faith to increase the load of minutes these stars take on.
NICKY HENDERSON says Sir Gino is not out of the woods as the superstar chaser continues to recover in hospital.
The five-year-old was the red-hot favourite for the Arkle after a brilliant win on his chasing debut at Kempton over Christmas.
But he suffered a cut during a routine piece of work earlier this month and he developed an infection his leg, shockingly meaning he will miss Cheltenham and the rest of the season.
And Henderson said the horse was battling a ‘dangerous superbug’, and that the next week will be important in his fight to get back to full health.
Hendo said: “There’s still a way to go yet. He’s still in the clinic and he’ll be there for another week, but the vets are hoping that if he stays the same he might be coming out of the woods.
“The signs are positive because he’s stable. He’s very happy. He honestly doesn’t know – he’s in no pain or anything.
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“They’ve just got to get this bug under control and it’s a sort of superbug that gets into them. How they get in I’ve no idea – you’d have to ask the vets. It’s bizarre and very, very rare and it can be dangerous.
“I think I’ve seen one before. People say they had that with such and such a horse five years ago. The outcome wasn’t always ok. It’s dangerous.”
The six-time champion trainer also said he had not made a decision over running plans for his two Triumph Hurdle contenders Lulamba and Palladium.
Both horses are entered in the Adonis Hurdle at Kempton on Saturday and the plan had been to run Palladium, but Henderson hinted at having a change of heart.
He said: “They are both in the Adonis, which might surprise a few of you, but only one of them will run.
“Lulamba is terribly well and would have to have a racecourse gallop and the other fella is just good at what he does. They’re going to work tomorrow and then we’ll decide.
“He’s very laidback and he has a very good attitude to it. But he has only had two runs in his life. And the other horse, just the way he’s been working and everything and schooling, does he really need to?
“He’s done a mountain of racing. I think he might be better where he is but I don’t know, we’ll see.”
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IF you want to get an idea of how fast you’re ageing, you can get a clue from looking at your own, a genetics expert has suggested.
The number on your passport isn’t the only indicator of how well you’ll stand the test of time.
Experts increasingly look towards biological age to predict someone’s risk of disease, age-related decline and how long they might live for.
Signs of ageing are of course visible to the naked eye – such as grey hair, wrinkles, increased stiffness as you move – but the process also happens in your cells, and this is what biological age refers to.
If someone has a lower biological age compared to their chronological age, suggesting they are ageing slower, they may enjoy a longer healthspan – the number of years they live while healthy, active and free of disease.
According to Dr David Sinclair, a tenured Professor in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, your nails might be able to shed some light on your biological age.
Speaking on an episode of his podcast Lifespan, he said “the rate of your nail growth is a really good indicator of how you’re ageing or not ageing”.
Dr Sinclair said this came about from a study conducted in 1979 by researchers at the Orentreich Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences.
“The linear nail growth rate is a simple, inexpensive, noninvasive technique for the measurement of ageing,” study authors wrote.
“The rate of linear nail growth decreases 50 per cent over the life spans of humans,” they added.
Scientists attached tiny measuring tapes to the fingernails of 271 people – aged between 10 and 100 and tracked their growth over years.
They also used the data of one participant who measured how much his nails grew between the ages of 32 and 36, recording how long it would take for their nails to reach a specific length.
Researchers found that weekly fingernail growth rate decreased by about 0.5 per cent per year from the age of 30.
“Men had a more rapid [growth] rate than women until the sixth decade”, they wrote, but “by the eighth decade women had a more rapid rate than men”.
If nails grow faster and you need to cut them more often than other people your age, it could be a sign you’re ageing at a slower rate than average, the researchers suggested.
Dr Sinclair said of the findings: “We now know for sure that the rate of nail growth decreases by about 0.5 per a year and if you measure that it’s a really good indicator of how old you are biologically.”
The genetics expert said he applies the study’s findings to his own life – though he doesn’t go to the trouble of meticulously measuring how much they’ve grown.
“I do pay attention to whether my nails are slowing down in their growth or not,” he said.
“Every time I have to cut my nails, I’m thinking, how long ago did I cut my nails?”
Nail growth depends on a steady supply of nutrients and oxygen, which are delivered through the bloodstream.
As we age, blood circulation can decrease, particularly in the extremities, which may result in slower nail growth over time.
You should see a GP if:
See a podiatrist if:
Most nail problems are caused by:
Nail problems can sometimes be a symptom of a more serious or long-term condition, such as:
Source: NHS
Your fingernails may also reveal other clues about your health, aside from how fast you’re ageing – as they can be affected by hormonal changes or nutrient deficiencies.
It’s normal for nails to become thicker or break more easily as you get older.
They may also become harder, softer or more brittle during pregnancy.
But brittle nails could be a sign you’re low in iron, or it could show that you have gut health problems.
Meanwhile, yellowing could indicate you have a fungal infection – or in some cases that you might have diabetes.
The disease can cause other signs in your nails, such as puffy nail beds and thickening.
A stripe along your nail is something you definitely want to get checked out, as it could be a sign of melanoma.
And clubbing – when your nails take on rounded, bulging shape, giving the appearance of an upside-down spoon – this can be a sign of underlying health conditions that need to be treated, such as lung disease or cancer or cardiovascular disease.
A STUDENT who allegedly drugged and raped ten unconscious victims has told a court his “favourite” porn is sleeping women.
Zhenhao Zou is accused of “stupefying” the women using vast amounts of alcohol or drugs to render them incapacitated.
The 27-year-old would then carry out sex attacks, which he filmed to keep as “souvenirs”, jurors were told.
Giving evidence today, Zou told Inner London Crown Court he prefers pornography where the women “appear to be still and quiet when they are having sex”.
When asked by his lawyer Mark Cotter KC if he liked women being asleep, he continued: “Yes, that’s my favourite type. But I could not find that.”
University College London student Zou told jurors he instead watched “specialist timestop” pornography.
Zou first came to UK in 2017 to study engineering at Queen’s University in Belfast.
In 2019, Zou began a master’s degree at University College London before beginning a PhD there in 2021.
He told the court that while studying at UCL he came into contact with cocaine, ecstasy tablets and ketamine while partying.
Zou claimed he had suffered from “sleeping problems for a long time” since school.
This led him to buy xanax from a drug dealer at a party, he told jurors.
He also admitted buying two bottles of the drug 1,4-Butanediol, which is made into well-known date-rape drug GHB by the body when swallowed.
When asked what he intended to do with the drug, Zou said he wanted to take it himself when he went clubbing to “get high”.
He denied planning to use the substance to carry out sexual assaults.
Between March 17, 2020, and July 25, 2021, Zou said he was online a lot after moving back to China during the Covid pandemic.
He also admitted having cosmetic operations in China including a hair transplant and operations on his eyelids.
Zou denies 11 charges of rape on ten alleged victims, 12 of possession of an extreme pornographic images and three counts of voyeurism.
He is also charged with one of false imprisonment and eight counts of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.
The court heard between 2019 and 2023, he raped two of the women in London, while the other eight were at unknown locations in China.
Prosecutor Catherine Farrelly, KC, said previously: “To the outside world, Zhenhao Zou undoubtedly presents as a smart and charming young man.
“However, as you know from the indictment in this case which contains 35 allegations against him, the prosecution says that he is also a persistent sexual predator, a voyeur and a rapist.”
Jurors have heard how the case is based on videos found on his mobile phone and two cameras also seized from his home.
Zou claims some of the women were “role playing” and all consented to any footage that was taken of them.
In a prepared statement he gave to police in January 2024, Zou said: “Firstly, I wish to say that reference has been made to pictures retrieved from my mobile phones however I have not seen these and I do not recall when and where I took them.
“I can say, however, that I am in the habit of taking pictures of my sexual activity with my sexual partners. The pictures are only taken with her consent and agreement.
“As to the allegation of rape I deny having sexual intercourse with a partner without her consent and I always believed she consented to it.”
He denies all 35 charges against him and the trial continues.
RUGBY icon Johnny Wilkinson has hailed Ireland head coach Andy Farrell ahead of their Six Nations Championship clash against Wales.
The Ireland boss has been forced into taking a sabbatical ahead of him leading the British and Lions later this summer on their Tour of Australia.
But former out-half Wilkinson says Farrell’s absence is no worry for interim boss Simon Easterby as he’s left a massive imprint on the culture in the squad.
World Cup winning number ten Wilkinson played with Farrell during their time together at Saracens.
45-year-old Wilkinson hailed Faz for his man management skills before crediting the atmosphere that he’s built around the Ireland set-up.
Speaking on the Rugby Pod with Dan Biggar, Wilkinson said: “I played with Andy—he knows the game inside out. He understands it from 1 to 15, and he gets players too.
“He’s willing to understand them, to connect, and to build bonds and friendships that exist regardless of selection or non-selection.
“That’s exactly what he’s done with Ireland.
“He’s created an environment where players leave their club and feel like they’re moving to another club, rather than just joining a group of individuals in an international team.
“There’s a sense of home when they come in—not just a place where they feel safe, comfortable, supported, and cared for—but also an environment that drives them, that pushes them to see how far they can go.
“That combination is incredibly empowering. You see it in the way they’ve taken off—their understanding, their self-belief, the conviction, the ruthlessness.
“They just keep delivering, and in those 50/50 moments, they always seem to find a way to win.”
Ireland face Wales this weekend in Cardiff as they look to keep their Grand Slam hopes alive.
The green machine are also on course for a record-breaking third successive title.
Wales sacked head coach Warren Gatland last week after a 14-game losing streak.
Kick-off is at 2:15pm on Saturday.