Author: The SUN

IT’S not really Christmas until the tree is up. But for some, welcoming the return of their festive foliage could also invite a host of irritating – and potentially dangerous – symptoms. 2’Christmas tree syndrome’ is the nickname given to an allergic reaction to a Christmas tree.Like all allergies, five symptoms could be triggered as a result:Coughing Sneezing Wheezing Stuffy nose Runny noseTerpenes, the compounds that give Christmas trees their scent, can be one cause of an allergic reaction if touched or inhaled.Read more on winter health But symptoms can also be triggered by mould or dust, and can be a…

A MAJOR illegal sports streaming network visited 812million times to watch football games on the cheap has been shut down. The world’s leading anti-piracy group has put a stop to illicit websites based in Vietnam, which were being accessed internationally.1The sites were mainly used by people in the US and Canada, where sports games were streamed dailyCredit: GettyThe Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) said it had cracked one of the largest global sports piracy rings.Their research found the notorious websites were visited 812million times in the past year, one of the largest ACE operations so far.The sites were mainly…

WITH presents, decorations, visiting family and a mega meal to cook, Christmas is an expensive time of year for everyone.But the extra costs of the festive season can push disabled families beyond their financial limits.7Shellie Warner, 27, with her son Adonis, known as Donny, who will be getting rewrapped birthday presents for ChristmasCredit: Scope7Matthew, 10, enjoying Christmas, despite his parents’ financial strugglesCredit: ScopeOn average, they already face forking out an additional £1,010 a month to have the same standard of living as non-disabled households, the charity Scope estimates.However, December can leave them on the brink. Shellie Warner, a mum from…

A COSTLY Christmas con that strikes over email, text, or phone calls could empty out your bank account.The cruel scam has been branded “despicable” by cybersecurity experts speaking to The Sun.2Delete and report scam texts to help yourself and others from falling victim to criminalsCredit: Apple / The SunIt’s known as an “affinity scam”, and works by online crooks pretending to be associated with charities.The scam is common at Christmas, but keep in mind that you can be targeted at any time of the year.”An affinity scam takes advantage of victims’ generosity during the holidays,” said Paul Bischoff, speaking to…

A MUM-of-three whose son suffered a fatal asthma attack at Christmas time is warning parents to look out for potential triggers this festive season.Jake Timmis was just 12 when he collapsed at home on December 23 after he began struggling to breathe.10Jame Timmis died on December 23, 2020, after having an asthma attack at homeCredit: Asthma + Lung10His mum Natalie now finds Christmas ‘an awful time of year’Credit: Asthma + LungHis mum Natalie desperately tried to help him while they waited for an ambulance, but his asthma attack was so bad he lost consciousness at the foot of the stairs…

A ONE-year-old girl tragically lost her life due to gross neglect after doctors missed chances to save her while in hospital, a coroner has ruled. Eleanor Aldred-Owen was diagnosed with a rare condition known as bicoronal craniosynostosis when she was just 12 weeks old. It meant that her sutures – the fibrous tissue joints connecting the bones of the skull – had fused prematurely, preventing normal growth and requiring surgery to alleviate the risk of pressure on her brain.She was referred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Merseyside and placed under the care of staff there for 18 months. The decision was…

BAFFLED scientists have unearthed the world’s oldest human DNA in Europe – with a key part of our history and family tree unlocked.In a cave under a medieval castle, 13 bone fragments were unearthed that belonged to six individuals including a mum and a daughter, as well as distant cousins.4An illustration of ancient humans from Ranis, Germany and the Czech RepublicCredit: AP4The cave system in the heart of the limestone region known as Bohemian Karst in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech RepublicCredit: Wikipedia4An illustration of an ancient human whose skull was found in the Czech RepublicCredit: APThe fragments…

KAREN Louise Liesching-Schroder was the picture of health.The 52-year-old never smoked, didn’t drink much and was active, running three times a week.3Karen had an ulcer on her tongue that wouldn’t heal and eventually developed into a holeCredit: Karen Louise Liesching-Schroder3After having a biopsy she was diagnosed with tongue cancerCredit: Karen Louise Liesching-SchroderSo when she noticed a stubborn ulcer on the side of her tongue, she didn’t think too much of it.However, it didn’t heal and soon became an “extremely painful” hole in her tongue – and it was then she decided to get it checked out.Karen, from Rochford, Essex, then…

SKY customers have just hours left to claim two great Christmas freebies waiting on their accounts.Both offers will disappear at the end of the day tomorrow (Sunday).2Rent Scrooged for freeCredit: Alamy2Free chocolate up for grabs tooCredit: AlamyOne is a free bar of Cadbury chocolate.Customers can claim an instant £1.65 voucher that can be put towards any Cadbury chocolate product sold at Tesco.Although the promotion is ending tomorrow, you don’t have to use it right away this weekend.Once claimed, the vouchers are valid until December 29, so you have a bit of time left to use it still.Elsewhere, Sky has been…

USING home remedies to ease your coughs and sniffles? Polls show you’re part of nearly 80 per cent of Brits drinking down chicken soup and ginger tea, or eating garlic cloves to do away with their symptoms.1Sipping on hot honey and lemon drinks proved to be a popular way of easing colds this yearCredit: GettyHot honey and lemon, gargling salt water and taking a bath were the most tried and tested home remedies for colds this year. A poll of 2,000 adults found 79 per cent have resorted to using an old wives’ tale to cure a winter illness, already…