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ALDI is selling a £3 product that will keep flies out of your home all summer long, and make your house smell amazing.

Summer is finally here, and according to the Met Office, it’s set to be a scorcher.

However, although there are so many positives to summer, from warm weather to longer days, it also has its downsides, such as the emergence of irritating pests.

House flies can be an incredible annoyance at this time of year, as they sneak in through open doors and windows.

Chasing them around with rolled-up newspapers and makeshift fly swatters can seem an endless task, and can ruin your summer’s evening.

However, according to experts, a quick and easy way to get rid of them is to plant pest-repelling herbs in the garden.

Although lavender is one of the most beloved scents for humans, flies can’t stand the scent of it.

Therefore, if you plant the fragrant flower near the entrance to your home or on the windowsill, it will act as a barrier against flies.

Plus, lavender also attracts bees, which will give your garden a wildlife boost.

Anyone wanting to try out this simple hack won’t have to fork out much, as Aldi is launching a lavender plant for just £3.79.

The bargain bloom will be available at stores across the UK from June 12, so flower fans had better set their alarms to be in with the chance of snagging the product.

Another plant that flies hate the scent of is cooking staple basil.

Purchasing a pot and placing it on the windowsill will keep the insects at bay.

Plus, you can pull of a leaf or two and add it to pastas, pizzas or salads to enhance their flavour.

Mint is another plant that flies can’t stand due to its sharp refreshing scent.

Plus, it works great as an addition to summer cocktails such as mojitos.

How to Care for Lavender

To get the most out of your lavender, plant it in a sunny spot with well-drained soil.

Once it’s settled in, it won’t need much watering – in fact, it prefers to stay on the dry side.

French lavender typically flowers from late spring into early autumn, with a peak bloom period between May and September. 

Some varieties, like Lavandula stoechas “Papillon” and “Tiara”, are known for their continuous flowering from late spring to early autumn. 

After French lavender flowers, you should trim the spent flower stalks to encourage more blooms and keep the plant compact. 

You can also prune the plant back in late summer or early spring to rejuvenate it and prevent it from becoming woody. 

WORLD CUP winner Francesco Totti showed class is permanent with a stunning goal from the HALFWAY LINE.

The Italian football legend was starring in an amateur game organised by Operazione Nostalgia in Parma.

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Francesco Totti rolled back the years as he scored an incredible goal[/caption]

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Totti received the ball in the centre circle[/caption]

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He took a touch forward before doing the unthinkable[/caption]

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He blasted a shot towards goal[/caption]

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Goalkeeper Sebastien Frey backpedalled to try and keep the shot out[/caption]

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But he was left in a heap in the side netting as Totti’s shot went in off the crossbar[/caption]

Totti, 48, was one of several former stars who featured in the game, including the likes of Gianfranco Zola, Javier Zanetti, Adriano and Hristo Stoichkov.

But it was the Roma icon who made the headlines as he scored from the middle of the pitch.

With just over 20 minutes on the clock, Totti received the ball just inside the centre circle after having the ball played to him from the right side.

The bouncing trajectory of the ball saw Totti control it with the outside of his right boot and direct it in front of him.

However, after just one bounce Totti did the unthinkable and smashed the ball towards goal with his right foot on the halfway line.

The marksman had noticed former Parma and Fiorentina goalkeeper Sebastien Frey off his line when he lashed the ball forwards.

Frey was backpedalling frantically but had to jump to try and stop the ball from sailing into the net.

However, Totti’s shot had directed itself to the very top corner of the goal and there was ultimately nothing the Frenchman could do to keep it out as it snuck just under the bar.

BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK

Frey managed to get fingertips to it, but only pushed in onto the woodwork before it hit the back of the 45-year-old and fell into the net as the goalie stumbled into the side netting.

A huge roar went up from the crowd as they took to their feet to give Totti a standing ovation for the brilliant effort.

Totti’s team-mates rushed to him to celebrate the extraordinary goal, with one of them seen jumping on his back.

Even Frey, despite his humiliation of conceding from the halfway line, had to respect the audacity of the strike and was seen with a wide smile as he emerged from the goal.

The clash between the two teams, with Totti’s Rabona coming up against Sombrero, ended with 14 goals as the match ended 7-7.

One-club man Totti retired from professional football in 2017.

However, the Serie A icon had joked he could still play at the top level and revealed one club – believed to be Cesc Fabregas’ Como – had tried to coax him back into playing.

Totti had said: “No, it’s not a joke. I took it a bit seriously, so let’s see. There are one or two teams who have asked about me.

“Let’s see what my head tells me, but above all my body. Let’s see how it reacts.

“My head already knows the answer. Who knows what next year will bring.”

Totti scored 307 goals in 786 club appearances for the Giallorossi, while adding nine goals in 58 Caps for Italy, including one on route to the Jules Rimet in 2006.

While Totti’s goal record could arguably have been better, he had a more than stellar assist record with the national team with 25, including four at the World Cup in 2006 – two of which came in the quarter-finals.

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Totti’s team-mates rushed to celebrate with him[/caption]

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It earned a standing ovation from the crowd[/caption]

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Even Frey saw the funny side of his part of the goal[/caption]

H&M’s new summer tote is a dupe for a popular designer bag – and it’s a fraction of the price

The Straw Tote bag is available in a range of colours, with its beige version being branded a dupe for the Prada Crochet Tote Bag.

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H&M’s new straw tote bag is available for £19.99 online and in-store[/caption]

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But while the Prada bag costs a staggering £1,500, H&M’s similar alternative costs just £19.99.

A description on H&M’s website reads: “Tote bag in braided paper straw with handles at the top.”

The bag is unlined, weighs just 272 grams, and has a height and width of approximately 35cm making it the perfect size for all your summer essentials.

Its stylish design features a holed crochet pattern, with a closer knit at the bottom to ensure your belongings stay secure.

It is embellished with ‘Amour Paris‘.

The bag is also available in a red and dark brown design, adding a pop of colour to liven up your outfit.

With a 4.8 star rating, the bag is clearly a hit among shoppers.

One wrote: “Lovely summer bag. Also good as a beach bag.

“Not too big but can carry a towel, flip flops and a few other essentials easily.”

Others described as “perfect for summer” while another said that it “looks a lot more expensive than it is.”

Its more-expensive Prada comparison is similarly sized, and is available in natural (similar to beige), and olive green.

With a slightly more structured shape, the key difference between the bags is that instead of ‘Amour Paris’, the designer counterpart reads ‘Prada Milano‘.

This is adorned in a triangle at the centre of the bag, rather than at its base, giving more space for the looser knit design also featured on the £20 dupe.

A Prada product description reads: “This crochet tote bag has a soft, deconstructed shape and boasts a light, summery mood.

“A new interpretation of Prada’s emblematic triangle decorates the front and is embellished at its centre with the embroidered lettering logo.”

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It’s the perfect size to take to the beach on a hot summery day[/caption]

It’s part of a wider collection of crochet bags designed by the luxury fashion brand – which includes a card holder for £1,020, and a mini bucket bag for £1,760.

A similar compact-sized shoulder bag is available as part of the H&M collection for just £19.99.

They also have a smaller version of the shoulder bag at just 22cm tall, available for the same bargain price.

Eager shoppers can snap up the summer bargain both online and instore.

It’s great for pairing with the rest of H&M’s Summer 2025 collection, now available while stocks last.

Billie Eilish has never been one to follow the script, and has always worn her quirkiness like a badge of honour. Her haunting lyrics, whispery vocals, and oversized fits are just a part of what makes her such an adored pop culture figure.  The Gen Z icon has also racked up nine Grammys, landed an […]

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The 2025 Money in the Bank has been one of the most lackluster premium live events in the history of WWE. The 4-match show was mediocre at best, saved by the main event that featured John Cena and Logan in a tag team match against Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso. From Cena going on an […]

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Borno South Senator,

LAOIS manager Tommy Fitzgerald reckons it is a ‘joke’ they must play Tipperary this weekend.

The two Joe McDonagh Cup finalists will enter the All-Ireland SHC at the preliminary quarter-final stage.

Tier two winners Kildare will host Dublin and Laois will be at home to Tipp in Portlaoise — most likely on Saturday.

Laois upset Dublin at that stage of the competition in 2019.

But they lost to Wexford by 12 points last year and face a tough task to pick things up.

Fitzgerald said: “It’s very raw at the moment but we will regroup and it’s important we represent the jersey and the county as well as we can the next day.

“But it’s a bit of a joke doing it next Saturday.”

Successive final defeats are a bitter pill to swallow for Laois —  but they were fortunate to be in the decider having sneaked in on goal difference.

And this was their second heavy defeat to Kildare this season having lost in the group stage in Portlaoise.

Fitzgerald felt their awful shooting in the first half cost them.

He said: “We had 11 wides in the first half and a few dropped short.
A lot of them were good scoring opportunities.

“I don’t know how many times we hit it wide on the near post. It hurt us.

“We were still in a decent position when we got the goal at the start of the second-half.

“We probably struggled on our own puck-outs. That’s where they really hurt us with their intensity.

“We did a lot of work on them in the last two weeks but Kildare are a well coached team.  They’re a good side and they punished us.”

Experienced performers Paddy Purcell and Podge Delaney fired four points between them.

Purcell surged through to set up the Laois goal too.

They were on the Laois team that won the 2019 Joe McDonagh Cup.

But Fitzgerald is satisfied that he does not need to rip up the script and start again.

He said: “There’s not that many, one or two maybe, that are coming towards the end.

“Apart from that, the age profile is quite good. We’ll be hoping they can develop as a group, stick together and build something over the next few years.”

TEST your IQ by finding as many circles as possible in ten seconds in the optical illusion below.

Take a look at the image to put your observational skills to the test.

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Test your observational skills by counting the circles in this optical illusion[/caption]

It shows black and white squares atop a grey background.

But when you start to look at the picture, the squares start to shift into a not-so-circular pattern.

Set yourself a ten second timer and count how many circles you find before it runs out.

The image has left social media users confused as they try to make sense of the illusion.

Even if you concentrate hard, the lines never become fully clear, making it challenging to accurately count.

As you look at the image, it morphs into a ‘pretzel’ pattern, created by the circles appearing to overlap.

Being able to accurately count the circles could be a sign of creativity, and strong intuition.

Optical illusions can be a great way to test your brain function.

To decipher the puzzles, your brain and eyes have to work together to make sense of what you’re observing.

While your brain determines what is logical, it might not actually be what your eyes are seeing.

The shocking answer to the image reveals that there are, in fact, four circles.

While the alternating monochromatic colours make it difficult to put the image into perspective, if you stare long enough the shapes should become clearer.

The image is then revealed to show four rings, rather than the obscure ‘pretzel’ shape that was originally observed.

You can also test other parts of your brain with different types of brainteasers.

This image of pearls can be a great way to test your eyesight – as you’re asked to find the diamond in less than 10 seconds.

Brainteasers offer a great way to test your IQ and keep your mind sharp.

This maths-based brainteaser is a great way to train your brain and improve your critical thinking.

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The image should settle to reveal four circles[/caption]