The London Underground station in different borough to its namesake park despite being side by side

London's extensive transport system is tough to navigate at the best of times. You have stations like Edgware and Edgware Road which are more than 10 miles away from each other; while White City and Wood Lane - just a few hundred metres apart - would take more than half an hour to travel between on the Tube.

But within this complicated system, some stations are weirdly separated from the places they serve by borough boundary lines, This is the case for Finsbury Park station which is situated in Islington, despite Finsbury Park itself actually being found in Haringey.

A busy stop on both the Victoria and Piccadilly lines, it can be found on Station Place which also serves as a bus interchange. But if you walk about 30 metres towards Stroud Green Road and you will have crossed the border into Haringey.

Finsbury Park station in North London (Image: Dan Kitwood/Getty)

The gates to Finsbury Park are situated on the other side of the road, from which the expansive green space can be accessed via a walkway.

Islington isn't the only London borough which Finsbury Park borders. Cross either Seven Sisters Road on its southern edge or part of Green Lanes to the east and you'll actually end up in Hackney.

The North London station seems to have a history of misassociation. Walk along the Victoria line platform and you'll stumble across a mosaic of duelling pistols.

The location of this tribute is somewhat misplaced. Contrary to what the mural suggests, Finsbury Park was not the primary location for these deadly disputes. It most likely refers to Finsbury Fields, site once nestled in the City of London, where these duels took place.

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Number of mortgage approvals made to home buyers dipped in November

The number of mortgage approvals made to home buyers dipped in November, but remained above the monthly average seen over the past year, according to Bank of England figures.

Some 65,700 mortgage approvals for house purchases were recorded in November, which was around 2,400 lower than October but above the previous 12-month average of 60,400.

Approvals for remortgaging (which only capture remortgaging with a different lender) decreased by 300 to 31,200 in November but remained above the previous 12-month average of 30,000.

The annual growth rate for consumer credit borrowing slowed to 6.6% in November, from 7.3% in October, according to the Money and Credit report. Consumer credit includes borrowing through methods such as credit cards, car dealership finance and personal loans.

Within the consumer credit figure, the annual growth rate for credit card borrowing decreased to 8.0% in November, from 9.4%. The annual growth rate for other forms of consumer credit (such as car dealership finance and personal loans) fell to 5.9% from 6.3%.

Households’ deposits with banks and building societies increased slightly by £0.2 billion in November, following net deposits of £18.8 billion in October, which had been the biggest figure recorded since £21.5 billion in December 2020.

Mark Hicks, head of active savings, Hargreaves Lansdown said: “A post-Budget pause marked the start of a seasonal slowdown in savings.

“Savers had been squirreling away cash ahead of the Budget, and after the announcement didn’t hit quite as hard as they had feared, they took their foot off the savings accelerator.”

Laith Khalaf, head of investment analysis at AJ Bell, said the figures suggest that “consumers put the Christmas credit splurge on ice in 2024, especially seeing as November is now a key trading month because of discounting trends such as Black Friday, where retailers seek to bring festive spending forward.

“We’ll be getting trading updates from the UK retailers in the coming weeks which will confirm whether Christmas was a damp squib for the sector.

“Ahead of higher national insurance and minimum wage costs bedding in from April, weak Christmas trading would put extra pressure on retail coffers.

“It’s possible consumers ran down savings to fund their early Christmas spending, rather than turning to much more expensive credit facilities. In total consumers saved £0.2 billion with banks and building societies in November, down from a bumper £18.8 billion deposited in October.”

Mark Harris, chief executive of mortgage broker SPF Private Clients, said: “Mortgage approvals for new purchases slipped, which comes as a surprise and suggests ups and downs for the market in coming months rather than a steady improvement.

“Remortgaging numbers dipped very slightly, but this could mean more borrowers stuck with their existing mortgage providers rather than switching to a new lender.”

Nathan Emerson, chief executive of property professionals’ body Propertymark said: “The impact of higher interest rates without doubt has had a profound impact across the housing market.

“Consumers need to feel a degree of confidence within their financial position to approach the buying and selling process.”

Jason Tebb, president of OnTheMarket said: “While affordability remains an issue for many buyers, the new year is off to a promising start with a couple of lenders reducing their mortgage rates.

“If others follow suit, this should encourage would-be buyers to take the plunge, making them more confident as to what they can commit to and can afford, particularly ahead of the stamp duty concession ending in March.”

The “nil rate” stamp duty threshold for first-time buyers is set to reduce from £425,000 to £300,000 from April. Stamp duty applies in England and Northern Ireland.

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'My Shark Carpet Cleaner left my floors like new and is £100 off in January sales'

A cleaning gadget that I recently put to the test, which breathed new life into my carpets, has had its price slashed by £100. The Shark CarpetXpert HairPro Pet Deep Carpet Cleaner is now up for grabs at a tempting discount, dropping from £349.99 to £249.99, in their January Sale.

I gave this cleaner - which is sold out on Amazon - a whirl on my own carpets, which were looking a bit worse for wear thanks to my dog, and I have to say, I was seriously impressed. Straight out of the box, it looks like a vacuum cleaner, albeit a bit heavier.

The Shark CarpetXpert HairPro Pet Deep Carpet Cleaner comes with five attachments for the StainStriker tube, as well as a bottle of StainStriker and CarpetXpert cleaning formula. The setup process is pretty straightforward, with a handy instruction manual to guide you through it.

READ MORE: Silentnight heated blanket 'stops complaints in their tracks'

READ MORE: 'Super comfy' M&S joggers are 'smart enough to be worn at the office'

If you're tech-savvy, there's a QR code you can scan to access 'how to' videos. Attaching the tube is a breeze, and filling up the tanks is self-explanatory - just make sure to put the correct liquid in each compartment, plug it in, and you're good to go.

When I first emptied the dirty water tank, I was simultaneously shocked, repulsed, and amazed. A huge clump of hair had gathered in the filter section, surrounded by grimy water (I'll spare you the picture as it's a bit unpleasant), reports Wales Online.

The Shark CarpetXpert left my carpets looking brand new (Image: Sam Jones)

I regularly vacuum the carpets and was quite shocked to see the amount of dog hair that had accumulated, yet I was equally impressed by how effortlessly the Shark removed it. Each time I emptied the tank, I was astounded by the sheer volume of hair that must have been hidden deep within the carpet fibres, which even a powerful vacuum hadn't shifted.

Shark makes bold claims about its cleaner, such as it removes "three times more pet hair than any upright carpet cleaner" and it "instantly removes stains and odours with 20 times more stain striking power". However, one aspect that didn't impress me was the hose.

Its design, meant for wrapping around the machine, isn't perfect, and I found the hose kept detaching as I moved the machine around. After it happened a few times, it became irritating, so I ended up disconnecting it while using the main body of the machine and only reattaching it when I needed the StainStriker tool.

Also, the tank isn't particularly large, so don't expect to clean your entire house in one session; you'll need to refill it with water and cleaning solution quite often, as well as empty the dirty water tank.

You can pick up the Shark CarpetXpert HairPro Pet Deep Carpet Cleaner on Shark. Other cleaners out there include the Vax Platinum Smartwash Carpet Cleaner which is £198 on Amazon, or the Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Upright Carpet Cleaner, down to £189 from £219.99 on Argos.

The Bissell SpotClean Pet Cleaner, available on Amazon for £109, has been showered with praise from happy customers. One chuffed buyer shared: "I bought this for pet stain removal. I used it on my sofa too and was amazed how good it came up. For a small cleaner, it's great."

If you're not keen on buying one outright, supermarkets such as Asda and Tesco offer Rug Doctor rentals.

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Michail Antonio breaks silence 3 weeks after horror crash

West Ham FC star Michail Antonio has been pictured for the first time after a horror crash which left him needing to undergo emergency surgery. The terrifying collision left the striker needing to be freed from his car and air lifted to hospital following the crash in Epping, Essex, on December 7.

The update was shared via his Instagram page accompanied by a picture of the 34-year-old smiling. He said that in 2024 he was grateful for life. The statement read: “Every year around this time, I’m asked what I’m grateful for, and every year I’ve struggled to find the right words. But this year, I know exactly what I’m grateful for: being alive.

"I want to take a moment to acknowledge something I’ve come to realise—I’ve spent so many years taking life for granted. I made plans for the next day, the next year, always assuming tomorrow was guaranteed. I’ve seen close friends pass away, witnessed others face near-death experiences, and even then, I didn’t fully grasp just how precious life is.

It continued: “What I’ve been through recently has opened my eyes. Life is fragile, and every single moment matters. I’m so grateful to God for giving me the strength to keep going and for allowing me to still be here.

The striker was involved in a road traffic accident (Image: Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

“To the emergency services, the NHS, The Air Ambulance, everyone at the Royal London and Cromwell hospitals and everyone from top to bottom at West Ham United FC. The medical team, The board, all of the staff, my team mates and the amazing West Ham fans… I honestly could not have got through this without you. thank you from the bottom of my heart.

"To my loved ones who stood by my side throughout everything, I can’t express how much you mean to me. Lastly, to the whole football community thank you for all the love and support you’ve shown me. It has truly meant the world. I love you all and I am endlessly grateful for every one of you. Happy new year- and I’ll be back on that pitch soon.”

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'I'm 65 years old and these 10p gummies give thick hair and clear skin'

Amazon shoppers are raving about a bottle of chewable vitamins, with one reviewer saying they've given her 'thick hair and clear skin'. The Maxmedix Biotin Gummies cost £15.99 on the site.

You can also get the gummies from WeightWorld for £13.49. The biotin supplements are designed to contribute to the maintenance of hair and skin.

The gummies are flavoured with raspberry and blueberry. They've got 4.4 stars from 4,271 reviews on Amazon, with one shopper particularly keen on the vitamins.

READ MORE: Shoppers say 'if you want to be cosy and warm, buy this'

The gummies are raspberry and blueberry flavoured (Image: Amazon)

She said: "Have been using this product for about six months now and my hair is definitely thicker, my nails are no longer brittle and my skin is clear and my age is 65. Lovely taste and easy to eat. Highly recommended."

Another wrote "I have been taking these gummies for five weeks and I have already noticed a significant change in my hair health. I have curly Caucasian hair which has been through it all, bleaching, heat, etc. The changes: my hair is more shiny, far less breakage due to brushing, which has already increased length, my hair is more resistant, curls seem to 'bounce back' after being styled in a bun or ponytail.

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"I can’t rate this product enough, for what it costs it’s made a true difference and I have tried everything under the sun to benefit my hair health but these will now be a must for me as part of my routine."

"I have been taking these gummies for approximately three weeks," a third wrote, "my hair was falling out a lot and my nails were breaking and were very soft, I was desperate until I found these gummies!

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"Simply incredible... my hair practically doesn't fall out anymore and my nails are strong and hard." Of the negative reviews, one person wrote "Made my skin break out massively, my nails are still just as brittle/weak if not worse! Avoid!"

Alternatively, you can try the Hairburst Chewable Hair Vitamins. They cost £22.99 and have 4.67 stars from 594 reviews.

You can buy the Maxmedix Biotin Gummies from Amazon and WeightWorld. Get the Hairburst Chewable Hair Vitamins from Hairburst.

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'Modern and stylish' M&S gilet will 'last many years'

M&S shoppers are loving a gilet they're praising for its quality. The Faux Shearling Collared Aviator Gilet costs £69 and comes in sizes 6 to 24.

The Per Una gilet is made from faux shearling. It's designed in a regular fit and has a zip-through front and a buckle-fastened storm flap.

The gilet has a high collar that can be turned up or down. It's also got two pockets, and the overall look is akin to distressed suede leather.

READ MORE:'Practical and smart' White Stuff jumper 'looks expensive' and 'skims bumpy bits beautifully'

The gilet's collar can be turned up or down (Image: M&S)

The gilet has 4.9 stars from nine reviews. One person said: "Timeless gilet that will last many years. It’s classy and can be dressed up or down. Will go with everything from skirts, dresses, and jeans.

"I also purchased a cream jumper from M&S to go underneath and plan to wear with jeans. Just waiting for that fresh morning free of rain to wear it as it may not like the rain. It’s a keeper definitely recommend to all you beautiful ladies."

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Another wrote "A great extra layer jacket, true to size, nice roomy armholes allowing a thicker sweater to be worn. The quality is very good too."

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"I love this gilet," a third said. "It is modern, stylish, warm and comfortable. Ideal for chillier autumn days." Another wrote "Great style, great material, great fit, can dress up or down, good price point for quality received.

"To summarise, I love it really happy with this purchase!" There were no negative reviews available at the time of writing, with the lowest rating being four stars.

Alternatively, you can try the Love & Roses Faux Suede and Shearling Gilet. It costs £69 at Next and is made from faux leather and faux fur.

You can buy the Faux Shearling Collared Aviator Gilet from M&S. Get the Love & Roses Faux Suede and Shearling Gilet from Next.

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Doctors give 3 simple changes to lower cholesterol quickly before medication is needed

Experts have shed light on the dangers of high cholesterol and offered three simple steps to combat it. A study revealed that exposure to high or fluctuating cholesterol early in life could increase the risk of atherosclerosis, a condition characterised by the narrowing of arteries due to fatty deposits, which can lead to heart disease and strokes.

Dr Oliver Guttmann, a consultant cardiologist at The Wellington Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK, explained: "Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in your blood that is essential for building cells and producing certain hormones. The two main types of cholesterol are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)."

Dr Guttmann added: "LDL is often called 'bad' cholesterol because high levels can lead to plaque build-up in arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease. HDL, on the other hand, is known as 'good' cholesterol because it helps remove LDL from the bloodstream."

In the UK, cholesterol levels are measured in millimoles per litre (mmol/L).

Dr Chun Tang, GP and medical director at Pall Mall Medical, advises: "For most people, a total cholesterol level of 5 or below is considered healthy. LDL cholesterol should ideally be less than 4, while HDL should be 1 or above.

"Levels above these ranges might be too high and could put you at risk for health issues, so it's good to keep an eye on them and get further medical tests if you suspect your levels may be too high."

To combat high cholesterol, Dr Guttmann suggests three key strategies

Dr Tang has highlighted the risks associated with high cholesterol, stating: "High cholesterol, especially too much LDL, can lead to fatty deposits in your arteries. Over time, this build-up can narrow your arteries, making it harder for blood to flow.

"This increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious health problems. It's like a traffic jam in your bloodstream, things just can't move along as they should be doing."

To combat high cholesterol, Dr Guttmann suggests three key strategies:

Look at your diet

"Focus on eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins," advises Dr Guttmann. "Reduce intake of saturated and trans fats, found in fatty meats, fried foods, and processed snacks. Opt for healthy fats like those in avocados, nuts, and olive oil."

Exercise regularly

"Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking or cycling, each week," recommends Dr Guttmann. "Regular exercise helps raise HDL cholesterol and lowers LDL cholesterol and triglycerides."

Stop smoking

People can make changes to their lifestyle to avoid the need to be prescribed drugs to tackle the dangers of cholesterol (Image: Getty)

"Smoking lowers HDL cholesterol and damages blood vessels, so quitting can improve your cholesterol levels and overall heart health," explains Dr Guttmann.

Certain demographics are more prone to high cholesterol. Dr Guttmann explained: "Older adults often experience higher cholesterol levels due to ageing and changes in metabolism. Genetic factors also play a significant role; conditions like familial hypercholesterolemia cause high cholesterol from a young age.

"Additionally, people with obesity, poor dietary habits, and sedentary lifestyles are more likely to develop high cholesterol."

Why is it important to be mindful of it earlier in life? "Being mindful of cholesterol levels from an early age is crucial because it allows for early intervention and lifestyle adjustments that can prevent long-term health issues," highlights Dr Guttmann.

Tang agrees and adds: "High cholesterol doesn't usually have symptoms, so it's easy to ignore. By being proactive, you can avoid complications like heart disease or stroke later in life."

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