‘Perfect autumn coat’ wows shoppers who ‘can’t believe it’s from Primark’

Primark shoppers think the fashion retailer has outdone itself with the new style

Primark is stocking a “stunning” new coat that looks “fancy and stylish.” Popular for its affordable clothing and accessories, the high street retailer could have a new crowdpleaser on its hands.

The fashion giant has delighted shoppers by introducing the new £42 Faux Leather Trim Check Coat. Available to click and collect online, the coat is described as “a winter must-have.” Primark says: “This longline coat comes in a check design, with side pockets and finished with faux leather details.”

The “perfect autumnal trench” caught attention when it was showcased on TikTok by Helen Anderson (@helenanderz). She told viewers: “I can’t believe this is from Primark. Look at this coat. Look at these sleeves. Look at this collar detail.”

Her caption added: “I had to go back for this @Primark coat! The perfect autumnal trench.” Helen’s video delighted shoppers, and it proved popular, with over 35,000 views and 2,000 likes.

Replying to the post, an excited social media user said: “Giiirl I am on a constant search for a trench and I guess this is THE one for me too.” A second fan wrote: “Omg I want want want.” A third viewer praised: “So funnnn I love it on you.” A fourth viewer thought: “Oh that’s so bloody cool!!!”

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Another comment read: “Oooooh fancy and stylish,” and someone commented: “That is stunning.” There was more praise when a fan replied: “Looks so good on youuu.” A different reply said: “Love love love.”

Meanwhile, an impressed shopper commented: “I bought this a few weeks ago it is stunning!!!” Another buyer wrote: “I’ve never been influenced to buy something so quickly…click and collect.”

Not everyone had the same reaction, though. Someone replied: “It’s nice but way too oversized.” A different reply said: “I can, creases at the back.”

Primark shoppers looking for similar styles can choose from a range of check coats and jackets. The retailer offers a £38 Plaid Pointed Collar Coat. The product description states: “Add a classic touch to your wardrobe with this plaid pointed collar coat.

“Designed in a relaxed, straight fit with a midi length cut, it has a pointed collar and button-front closure for a polished finish. Long sleeves and two front pockets provide practicality, while the soft, brushed wool-like fabric keeps you cosy. The plaid pattern in shades of brown, blue, and cream adds timeless style, making this coat a versatile option for cooler days.”

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Primark also offers a £26 Check Bubble Hem Jacket. The product description states: “Add some puff to your outerwear with this check bubble jacket. Designed in a mix of olive green, tan and brown, it’s got a roomy, rounded shape that’s perfect for layering.

Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse’s secret heartache over brother’s tragic death

She may be putting her best foot forward every Saturday night on Strictly, but Motsi Mabuse has been dealing with heartache after her brother took his own life…

Strictly Come Dancing viewers are used to seeing Motsi Mabuse with a smile on her face and looking as fabulous as ever, but behind the scenes the judge has been dealing with heartache.

The BBC One star’s half-brother Neo died by suicide at the age of 18, while she and sister Oti Mabuse were growing up in the South African township of Mabopane, near the capital Pretoria.

Not only did the family have to deal with the devastating loss, but they were also ostracised by superstitious locals who believed they would receive bad luck if they associated with anyone from Motsi’s family.

Speaking about the tragedy previously, she revealed: “He killed himself with a poison. And because the people of Africa are very religious and superstitious, something bad arose in our neighbourhood. With the suicide of Neo, our family was seen as one where there was a negative energy.

“Because of this rumour, no one came to us any more, because it was feared that the bad energy applied to the visitor.”

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Motsi was unable to comprehend just why Neo decided to take his own life, but cited that he still remembered when the family lived in poorer circumstances and he struggled to adjust when they went up in the world.

Born when their mum Dudu was still a teenager, he had a different father to Oti, Motsi and middle sister Phemelo.

The young mum and baby lived with her mother and clergyman father in Kraalhoek, in South Africa’s North West province, until she met young ­lawyer Peter Mabuse and then became pregnant with Motsi.

With her father’s encouragement they married, but in the early days were so poor they had to live with an aunt in Mmabatho, a two-hour drive away.

A year later in 1982, when Phemelo was born, the family moved 150 miles away to the township of Mabopane where they lived in relative comfort. Peter’s legal career went from strength to strength and today he is a High Court judge in Pretoria.

Explaining what life was like for her brother in her book, Chili in the Blood: My Dance Through Life, she admitted: “He still remembered the cramped life, which for us younger siblings was more of a narrative than a truly experienced reality.”

She continued: “I think all the changes had overwhelmed him a little bit, everything had seemed difficult to him.

“He had gone to a private school, but he had surrounded himself with people you might call ‘false friends.’ It was a tough time for all of us, but especially for my mum.”

Motsi joined the Strictly judging panel in 2019, replacing Darcey Bussell, four years after her sister Oti joined the show as a professional dancer.

She currently serves on the panel with Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke and Craig Revel Horwood and is loved by viewers for her kindness for the celebrities while also providing constructive criticism in order to help them improve.

Strictly Come Dancing airs tonight (Saturday) at 6:05pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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If you’re struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch.

France lose Mbappe for Iceland after injury in Azerbaijan World Cup win

Kylian Mbappe will miss Monday’s qualifier in Iceland, where France could book their ticket to the 2026 World Cup, after taking another knock to his sore right ankle, the French team confirmed.

Already suffering from a “small niggle” in his right ankle from playing for Real Madrid, Mbappe took two knocks during Friday’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over Azerbaijan in Paris, where he opened the scoring but was substituted before the end of the match.

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The France captain’s absence adds to the long list of forwards unavailable for October’s World Cup qualifiers, which includes Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Marcus Thuram and Bradley Barcola.

Mbappe “will not be able to play Monday against Iceland”, a French Football Federation (FFF) statement read.

After returning to the Clairefontaine training ground on Friday night, “the French team captain spoke with (coach) Didier Deschamps,” who “acknowledged his absence”.

Mbappe “has been released to his club (Real Madrid) and will not be replaced”, the FFF added.

The French superstar had already been rested for training with Les Bleus during the week with the same issue.

Mbappe scored on the stroke of half-time and was then struck by a tackle from Rustam Ahmedzade. He took another knock to the same ankle late in the game and was replaced by Florian Thauvin.

“He has a sore ankle and he took a knock there. He preferred to come off; the pain was quite significant,” Deschamps said after the French victory.

Adrien Rabiot and the substitute Thauvin were also on the scoresheet as Deschamps’s men remain unbeaten after three games and top of Group D.

Gauff struggles on serve but wins in Wuhan

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French Open champion Coco Gauff put in a stuttering performance but secured victory over Jasmine Paolini to reach the final of the Wuhan Open.

The 21-year-old beat the seventh seed from Italy 6-4 6-3 in a match featuring 11 breaks of serve in a row to reach her first final since her win at Roland Garros in June.

Gauff may have won in straight sets but struggled on serve, being broken five times and serving seven double faults – with Paolini actually winning more points in the match.

Gauff will face world number one Aryna Sabalenka or Jessica Pegula in the final.

“I’m really happy with how I played today. It was tough, especially playing on the serve, but I did what I needed to do to get through,” Gauff said.

“Sabalenka and Pegula are great players, and I’ve lost to them both before. But overall, I’m just going to focus on my side of the court and try to control the things I can control.”

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U2 icon Bono’s luxury property at centre of stabbing as police rush to scene

Bono’s luxury property in the Hollywood Hills was at the centre of a stabbing incident on Thursday afternoon, with the U2 frontman said to be one of several investors

U2 frontman Bono’s luxury investment property in the Hollywood Hills is at the centre of a shocking stabbing incident.

Emergency services rushed to the Hollywood Hills residence linked to the 65 year old musician, which he is reported to part-own, after reports of an alleged knife attack on Thursday afternoon. The rock star, whose real name is Paul Hewson, is believed to be one of several investors in the luxury property, which is still under construction.

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed they responded to a 911 call at 1.20pm PT and an investigation is currently underway, as reported by TMZ.

Photos published by the Daily Mail show multiple police vehicles parked at the entrance to the hillside home’s long driveway.

The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed that both a fire engine and an ambulance were dispatched to the scene, with a helicopter also spotted circling overhead. Details surrounding the reported incident remain unclear.

The property, thought to be an active construction site, was not expected to be occupied by anyone other than contractors at the time.

TMZ reported that Bono was not involved in the event and is currently outside the United States.

Sources told the Daily Mail that the singer is one of multiple investors with a financial stake in the property, which is for sale privately and not listed on the Multiple Listing Service.

Real estate professionals in Los Angeles are said to be aware the home is being shown discreetly to prospective buyers.

First unveiled in November 2023, the house – a stunning architectural landmark perched above Fairfax Avenue with panoramic views of the Hollywood basin – was designed by architect Noah Walker and developed by Plus Development Group. Plus Development Group was co-founded by Tyrone McKillen, the son of Bono’s longtime business partner Paddy McKillen.

Bono and Paddy, who jointly own a whiskey distillery in Ireland, have collaborated on several ventures. Earlier this year, Paddy faced legal issues connected to separate business interests.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bono was spotted visiting the property multiple times in 2023 to keep an eye on the construction progress. The home boasts a triangular-shaped main residence, a multi-level guesthouse and an elongated pool that runs alongside the main structure.

At the time his investment was made public, Bono was performing with U2 during the band’s 40-date residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas, which wrapped up in March 2024. The shows reportedly raked in around $1 million per concert.

Since the residency ended, Bono has kept a low profile, although he released the documentary Bono: Stories of Surrender in May 2025, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Intensive Israeli air strikes kill one, injure seven in southern Lebanon

Israeli air attacks on a southern Lebanese village have killed one person and wounded seven others, temporarily severing a key route connecting Beirut to the country’s south, in the latest near-daily violation by Israel of the November 2024 ceasefire it signed with Hezbollah.

The strikes hit Msayleh village in the early hours of Saturday morning, targeting a site that sold heavy machinery and destroying numerous vehicles.

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A Syrian national was killed and seven others were wounded when a passing vegetable truck was caught in the attack, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said.

Separately, Israeli drones were reported flying over the capital, Beirut, and southern suburbs since early on Saturday, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency.

A man walks at a site that sold heavy machinery, where a large number of vehicles were destroyed in Israeli air strikes, in the southern village of Msayleh, Lebanon, on Saturday, October 11, 2025 [Mohammed Zaatari/AP]

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack, describing it as an assault on civilian infrastructure. “Once again, southern Lebanon is under fire from a blatant Israeli aggression against civilian facilities, without any justification or pretext,” he said, adding that the strike was particularly alarming given it came after the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Israel’s military said the strike targeted equipment intended to rebuild infrastructure for Hezbollah. The Israeli military has claimed that such operations are necessary to prevent Hezbollah from restoring its military capabilities.

The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, said at the start of October that Israeli strikes had killed 103 verified civilians in Lebanon since the ceasefire took effect.

Israeli forces remain stationed at several positions inside Lebanese territory.

The incident marks the latest in an almost daily pattern of Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory since the United States brokered a ceasefire. Days earlier, Israeli drone strikes killed two men it claimed were Hezbollah operatives.

Lebanese authorities said on Friday they had foiled an Israeli plot to carry out bombings and assassinations at a commemoration for late former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was assassinated by Israel, arresting several suspects.

Hezbollah has rejected mounting pressure to disarm. Speaking at the tomb of Hassan Nasrallah, current secretary-general Naim Qassem told thousands of supporters that Hezbollah would never relinquish its weapons.

US special envoy Tom Barrack told Al Jazeera last month that convincing Hezbollah to disarm “is the job of the Lebanese government”, though he acknowledged the group’s legitimacy as a political party complicates the issue.

The Lebanese government, under intense US and Israeli pressure, tasked the army in early September with preparing a plan to disarm the group.

The original war killed at least 4,000 people in Lebanon and caused an estimated $11bn in damage. In Israel, 127 people died, including 80 soldiers. Fighting erupted when Hezbollah began launching rockets into northern Israel on October 8, 2023, one day after a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel triggered the war in Gaza.