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I’m a proud cougar who’s bedded 15 randy toyboys – I ditched men my own age after fiance gave me a disgusting comment

GUESS what – it’s not just fellas who fancy a bit of how’s your father, or even grandfather, with a younger lover.

Experts at the University of California surveyed more than 6,000 men and women aged 22 to 85 and challenged received wisdom by finding that both sexes enjoy being the older partner.

A mature woman in sunglasses sits by a pool; a shirtless young man stands behind her.
Getty
Experts have found that both sexes enjoy being the older partner[/caption]
Portrait of Kate Mulvey.
Kate Mulvey, 62, has dated 15 toyboys and is the author of How To Date A Younger Man: The Cougar’s Guide To Cub Hunting
Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas at the Citadel premiere.
Getty
Priyanka Chopra, 42, and husband Nick Jonas, 32[/caption]

The researchers say that while women often tend to settle down with older – and maybe wiser or richer – men, it can be a different story when it comes to intimacy.

Professor Paul Eastwick, who led the study, said: “This will be shocking to many.”

In new erotic thriller Babygirl, Nicole Kidman, 57, plays a CEO who romps with a young intern.

Similarly, Madonna, 66, is 38 years older than her latest toyboy, soccer player Akeem Morris, and Cher, 78, has 40 years on music-executive boyfriend Alexander Edwards.

It can end in marriage, too.

Actress Priyanka Chopra, 42, is ten years the senior of rocker husband Nick Jonas, while film director Sam Taylor-Johnson, 57, is 23 years further down the road than actor husband Aaron.

Here, Kate Mulvey, 62, who has dated 15 toyboys and is the author of How To Date A Younger Man: The Cougar’s Guide To Cub Hunting, tells why dating toyboys beats any anti-ageing cream . . . 

LAST year I met a man 20 years younger than me and the sex with him was mind-blowing.

He reignited the long-lost libido in me and I felt like I had won the Lottery.

I found somebody who took me to places I had never been before.

The sexy kitten in me had been hidden under domestic drudgery but he pulled her out.

He was more appreciative and less resentful than men my own age. He was also physically fitter — at the peak of his maleness and full of youthful testosterone.

I soon stopped obsessing over grey hairs and bought new, flirty underwear.

When it came to the moment of truth, there was some anxiety.

I got undressed the first time with my back to him. But for these men it’s not just about body parts — they see something exciting, sophisticated and thrilling.

I was worried about disrobing in case he expected me to look like a porn star.

But keeping on a bit of lace does wonders for male desire.

It’s not a jungle down there but I told him what he was seeing was natural.

Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Taylor-Johnson at the Godzilla premiere.
Getty Images - Getty
Sam Taylor-Johnson, 57 and husband Aaron, 34[/caption]
Madonna and Akeem Morris walking together.
Madonna, 66, and lover Akeem Morris, 28
Instagram

It helps to have a sense of humour about these things — getting embarrassed is not a good look.

Now I always keep a bottle of wine or champagne chilling in the fridge to help smooth over those moments.

I had always dated age-appropriate men until my mid-forties.

But when my fiancé failed to set a date for our wedding, I called off the engagement and joined up with a dating agency.

I’d got sick of him rubbernecking every time a blonde young enough to be his daughter walked through the door.

And then one day he said, “Your breasts are fine but a bit droopy” — and that was fatal.

I went on one date with a ­divorcee my own age but when he ­clumsily lunged at me in the back of a taxi, I pulled back in disgust and he said: “You’re no spring chicken.” That was it.

After a couple of family bereavements, and menopause, I was ­feeling like a dried-up old prune, and my ego was on the floor.

He unleashed my sexy side and reminded me it’s not all over.

Kate Mulvey

But very quickly my inbox was flooded with romantic missives from younger men.

At first I couldn’t believe it — but they idolise you.

We might see an old hag in the mirror but they see something exotic and different — they see a goddess.

I had resigned myself to living like a nun but am now having the last laugh. A 23-year-old man charmed me, wooed me and made me feel giddy.

He unleashed my sexy side and reminded me it’s not all over.

As older women, we have something to teach young men, and the whole dynamic is like a breath of fresh air.

I felt self-conscious at first but he soon banished all my hang-ups about my body and I felt ­desirable again.

If you go cougar-hunting you have to turn off the body noise and stop being afraid to show yourself off.

Cher and Alexander Edwards at the Versace FW23 Show.
Alamy
Alexander Edwards, 38 and partner Cher, 78[/caption]
Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson in a scene from "Babygirl."
AP
Nicole Kidman, 57, plays a CEO who romps with a young intern in erotic thriller Babygirl[/caption]

We danced in a cocktail bar, and even though nobody else was ­dancing, he wasn’t embarrassed — he said he felt proud of me.

We laughed and held hands in the street.

We snogged for ages, and I couldn’t believe what I had been missing.

But be prepared for rival cougars sharpening their claws — statistics show 25 per cent of women over 40 have dated a younger man, so there is plenty of competition out there.

I understand why.

While men older than me tend to shuffle, my toyboy would swagger into a room and grab me for what I called the throwdown — a way of pulling me toward him for a Hollywood kiss like in Gone With The Wind.

There was nothing aggressive about it — it was just pure sexy male dominance and all my g­irlfriends were jealous.

My friends said he could not ­possibly love me, some said it was disgusting and others tried to flirt with him — but the feelings are ­certainly real while they last.

Plenty of stamina

I know better than to start looking at wedding dresses but I would still rather be with a self-assured toyboy with plenty of stamina than a balding pensioner with erectile dysfunction.

Relationships with older women work for them, too, because we don’t whine and ask where things are going — we don’t want to put labels on it, we just want to have fun.

A baby is out of the question. It’s less intense.

We have been around the block and understand what life’s about.

Unencumbered by angst, grocery shopping and unpaid bills, we can be spontaneous and concentrate on each other.

There was a time when older women dating much younger men was seen as a bit off-putting, despite the fact that for yonks men have been stepping out with girls as young as their granddaughters.

Chubby Jack Nicholson and Leonardo DiCaprio frolicking in the waves with women 30 years younger didn’t even raise an ­eyebrow.

But fast-forward to today and, hallelujah, it’s a brand-new world.

The dynamic has been flipped on its head, and now we are looking at the emergence of younger men dating older women — and for some of us that’s a badge of honour.

Young men are gorgeous and now, at long last, women are smashing the oldest taboo.

How to be the perfect cougar

SNARING your young stud is one thing, but keeping him interested can be quite another. So here are five hot tips for the older woman . . . 

  1. Stop obsessing about the flabby bits and learn the art of conceal-and- reveal when it comes to dressing for dates. Don’t be tempted to press the mutton button with tight leather and leopard-print – you want to look sophisticated and not slutty.
  2. Don’t behave like girls their age. If men wanted to be doing shots in nightclubs they would, and by the time you’re naked they’re too turned on to care whether you’ve had a Brazilian wax or not.
  3. Ditch the old-lady behaviour like wearing ear-plugs or eyemasks, and saying you need to be in bed by 10pm. Instead, invest in a lacy nightdress and book a hotel room away from your clutter at home.
  4. Don’t be embarrassed if you mention music or movies that they have never heard of – make a joke of it, and Google them together.
  5. Keep it fun and know when to move on to the next toyboy. Don’t expect these romances to last for ever, as most men will want marriage and children eventually.

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Harry Kane could be robbed of Champions League fairytale by Bayern Munich’s biggest downfall, fears ex-England star

HARRY KANE could be robbed of a Champions League fairytale this year unless Bayern Munich learn to defend better, according to Owen Hargreaves.

This season’s final will be staged at Munich’s Allianz Arena on Saturday May 31, 2025.

Harry Kane, Bayern Munich player, looking up in thought.
Getty
Harry Kane looks on while playing for Bayern Munich[/caption]

The last time the Bavaria venue held the showpiece occasion was back in 2012 but Munich lost on penalties that night to a Didier Drogba-inspired Chelsea.

The Bundesliga leaders are in 15th place in the expanded 36-team Champions League table, having conceded 11 goals in seven games, including three at Feyenoord last week.

While England captain and Munich striker Kane, 31, could fire them through the knockout phases, their defence is clearly an issue and needs tightening up under new boss Vincent Kompany.

Hargreaves, 44, played for seven seasons in the Munich first team and was in the starting XI when they beat Valencia on penalties at Milan’s San Siro in the 2001 Champions League final.

Speaking on behalf of TNT Sports to promote watching live sport in pubs, the ex-England midfielder said: “It’s that old adage in American sports – defence wins championships.

“I think it’s true. You have got to defend well.

“Bayern are easily one of the most talented teams in the competition. Possession-wise, shots-wise, they are right at the top.

“But the only problem is they play such an aggressive style. They press really aggressively.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

“We saw it in their defeat against Aston Villa at Villa Park. We saw in the 3-0 loss at Feyenoord. There is space if you play quickly over the top, to counter them.

“I don’t think I have ever seen a team win the Champions League being that open at the back.

“Even Pep Guardiola, with the brilliant football he plays, had to evolve to win the Champions League and played with four centre backs.

“Bayern could win it but they have got to be a bit tidier at the back.

“Bayern approach the game now under Kompany in a super aggressive way, and they score goals.”

Hargreaves – a European football analyst for TNT Sports – joined Bayern as a 16-year-old and won four league titles before moving to Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson in 2007.

He added: “There’s pressure at a club like Bayern, you are expected to win every game. I am talking about literally every game. Every Saturday, every Wednesday.

“They know they are not the best team in the Champions League. They proved that against Feyenoord.

“Even though they have one of the most talented squads, they are not favourites. Liverpool are the favourites.

“Then you’ve got Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester City if they can defend better. There are a lot of teams in that bracket below Liverpool.

“Bayern could do it. If they get the balance right.

“It will be interesting to see if Vincent tweaks it a bit for the knockout stages.

“The style puts a lot of pressure on the centre-backs, Kim (Min-jae) and (Dayot) Upamecano, to get it right all of the time.

“One mistake is costly and you are out. I think they can win it if they tweak the way they are playing.”

  • Owen Hargreaves was speaking on behalf of TNT Sports about enjoying Champions League midweek football in your local pub. To find out where you can watch, please visit tntsports.co.uk/pubfinder/
Owen Hargreaves holding a TNT Sports microphone.
C1 MEDIA
Owen Hargreaves was speaking on behalf of TNT Sports[/caption]

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Ось чим небезпечний для здоров’я органічний яблучний оцет

Яблучний оцет має певні переваги для організму. Наприклад, він допомагає позбутися зайвих кілограмів та нормалізує рівень цукру в крові. Але не для всіх людей він таки безпечний. Органічний яблучний оцет, хоч і вважається корисним, все ж таки підходить не всім. Певним категоріям людей використовувати його протипоказано. Відомо, що органічний яблучний оцет може знизити ефективність ліків […]

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Для чого використовують лушпиння цибулі в городі

  Кожному дачнику хочеться виростити гарний урожай фруктів, овочів та соковитих ягід. Однак для отримання багатого врожаю недостатньо лише висадити в саду та на городі саджанці плодових культур, потрібно також постійно доглядати рослини, захищати їх від шкідників. Адже жодна рослина не буде добре рости й не дасть смачних плодів, якщо регулярно не отримуватиме підживлення. Подробиці […]

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Як позбавити печінку гіркоти і зробити смачнішою

0 Основні претензії до печінки з боку господарок полягають у тому, що вона виходить гіркою та жорсткою. Однак не всі знають, що причина криється лише в неправильному підході до готування. Якщо правильно обробити продукт, він виходить смачним і ніжним. Які хитрощі потрібно знати Не забувайте про молоко Деякі господині намагаються заощадити, тому не хочуть “переводити […]

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I tried cafe’s £12 curry-inspired Full English – it’s a flavour bomb that kicks your day into gear and ‘punters love it’

A CAFE has transformed the traditional British fry-up into a curry-inspired Full Hinglish.

The £12 breakfast features masala beans, spicy hash browns, pickles and paratha flatbread instead of toast.

Full English breakfast with egg bhurji, paratha flatbread, spicy hash browns, masala beans, and pickles.
The breakfast comes with masala beans, spicy hash browns, pickles and paratha flatbread
Man enjoying a large Indian curry-inspired fry-up breakfast.
Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
Our man Joe Hadden tucks into his ‘flavour bomb’ brekkie[/caption]

Customers also get sauteed cherry tomatoes with garlic and egg bhurji, washed down with masala chai tea — taking the place of a traditional builder’s brew.

Sausages, bacon, egg and chips are also still on the menu to keep traditionalists happy.

Hetel Thakrar, boss of Kenton Lane Cafe, Harrow, North West London, whipped up the fusion to celebrate Britain’s love of both curries and fry-ups.

He told The Sun: “Punters love it.”

The dad-of-three, 56, revealed the breakfast has been a regular in his own kitchen for years.

He explained: “People may have never seen it, but people do it within their homes.

“We just want to make it a commercial thing.”

Customer Graham Parritt, 38, said: “It’s delicious. It’s insane nobody has ever thought of this before.”

The Sun tried it out, and reporter Joe Hadden said: “From the first mouthful of spicy hash browns to the last tear of fluffy paratha, it’s a flavour bomb that kicks your day into gear.”

But local Eddie Mullins, 45, was not sold on the idea, saying: “I love a full English and masala, but it doesn’t mean I want them together.”

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Bonnie Blue’s sex stunt is dangerous… even my 18-year-old thinks she’s disgusting, says ex-glamour model Nicola McLean

AS a mum to teenage sons, I am disgusted by Bonnie, the 25-year-old woman who slept with 1,057 men – some as young as 18 – in 12 hours.

What a dangerous claim to fame.

Woman sitting outdoors with legs crossed.
Instagram
Nicola McLean has branded Bonnie Blue’s sex stunt ‘dangerous’[/caption]
Woman with two children.
nicolamclean30/Instagram
Nicola with sons Rocky and Striker when they were younger[/caption]

Bonnie, real name Tia Billinger, then had the audacity to boast about her stunt, telling the sad men who queued to have sex with her: “Thank you to all the dads, sons, grandads and husbands that helped make this possible.”

She intended to post a video of what she claims is a new world record on OnlyFans.

I’m glad the platform didn’t allow it, as it flouted their rules.

I worry about the toxic message Bonnie is sending out to teenage boys.

Some of those who queued up to have sex with her were just 18 and clearly only doing it because they’re young and naive.

My eldest boy, Rocky, is 18 and not old enough to decide whether he wants to stand in a queue, s**g Bonnie Blue and be on the internet for the rest of his life.

I want women to be able to do what they want.

Given the choice, I sincerely believe he wouldn’t.

I think there would be a lot more eyebrows raised if there was a man out there saying he wanted to sleep with a thousand barely legal girls.

Rocky and his brother Striker, 14, are being raised in a house with a strong female.

I talk to them about treating women with respect and not attempting to control women or dictate what we should or shouldn’t do.

I have had conversations about consent.

We’ve got to be very mindful, what with people like Andrew Tate on TikTok.

Where does Bonnie Blue leave us?

I think the messaging is really wrong.

It’s making young men who don’t have parents to guide them correctly believe that women want that treatment.

Boys without any real parental guidance are basically parented by what they see online and in the media.

It boils my blood when Bonnie Blue comes up on my For You pages and she’s using such provocative language, such as, “barely legal”.

And it’s not just boys I worry about.

It’s worrying for young girls, too.

Teenage lads are going to expect their girlfriends to behave more like her and other adult stars who are painting a totally unrealistic picture of what sex is.

And those girls will think they have to “perform” to a certain level and maybe do things they’re not ready for, in case their boyfriends cheat on them.

Woman in bathrobe holding sign that says 1000!
tiktok/@bonnieb_xoxo/
Bonnie claims to have slept with 1,057 men – some as young as 18 – in 12 hours[/caption]

Rocky has had a girlfriend for four years and they have a lovely relationship.

His friends are all good boys, too.

I asked Rocky whether he and his mates are talking about her and he said they did, but now no one’s interested — it’s boring.

I even asked him what he thought of what Bonnie Blue was doing and he said: “It’s disgusting, we all think she’s disgusting.”

I haven’t spoken to my 14-year-old son about it, not because he’s too young but because Bonnie wouldn’t interest him.

It will have come up on his TikTok, but will he have clicked on it?

I seriously doubt it.

He’s too busy watching football.

Bonnie’s recent stunt isn’t a one-off.

Last year, she claimed to have had sex with 122 students in three weeks in Mexico.

She also went on a “tour” of UK universities, finding freshers to have sex with.

Now, let me make one thing clear: I’m a feminist.

‘MEANINGLESS SEX’

I want women to be able to do what they want.

I loved being a glamour model and I’m not here to woman-bash.

When I did glamour modelling from the age of 18 to 24, it was in an environment that I felt safe in.

But it isn’t the same profession as Bonnie’s.

Being a glamour model and Page 3 girl isn’t the same as being a sex worker.

I’m not even challenging porn star Bonnie Blue’s choice to do what she did — but I am questioning why she wanted to do it.

In my opinion, Bonnie — who makes an estimated £600,000 a month from OnlyFans — is damaging a lot of people by ‘normalising’ meaningless sex.

With this stunt, and others like it, she is inviting any Tom, Dick or Harry to come and have sex with her for 45 seconds.

That’s not safe. Anyone could turn up.

Yes, there was security on the door of the £15million London mansion where her sex marathon took place, but that seems pretty meaningless.

Woman in floral bikini by a pool.
Instagram/@lilyphillip_s
OnlyFans star Lily Phillips slept with 101 men in a day last October and made a documentary about it[/caption]

She says everyone wore a condom, but there’s no way she can truly protect her sexual health.

Shockingly, she is even willing to risk catching HIV as she’s earning so much, saying: “HIV is the big one and I still choose to do it.

“I’m happy to risk the things I risk.”

The older men queuing up, who were in their forties, are as disgusting and in the wrong as she is if they are willing to queue for hours to penetrate a random woman.

I think she has influenced fellow OnlyFans star Lily Phillips, 23, who slept with 101 men in a day last October and made a documentary about it.

But Bonnie is pushing things to the extreme and it’s dangerous.

And I think it’s really sad to see her proudly showing off the injuries she endured during the 12-hour sex session.

She says she’s here to educate young boys on sex.

But we should not be educating teenage boys that rough sex is the norm.

And we should also not be educating young girls that that’s how they should be treated in the bedroom.

Bonnie has had comments from other women like, “Go girl”, and, “You absolutely smashed it”, but I don’t understand why anyone would congratulate her on what she’s done.

‘NEEDS PROFESSIONAL HELP’

It’s really alarming.

She has said people are sex-shaming her and that there’s nothing shameful about sex. There isn’t.

But she is delusional if she thinks this sort of behaviour won’t be shamed.

I think she needs professional help.

I think a day will come when she regrets this.

She has to take some responsibility for her actions.

She wants to sleep with barely legal teens and put them on her OnlyFans site, but what happens when that teen grows up, has his dream job, a serious girlfriend, or a family?

He then has that worry that his life could be ruined because of a stupid decision he made at 18.

We really have to worry about the mental health aspect of this. It’s so damaging.

Bonnie Blue has thanked husbands for taking part.

Seeing what she is doing is going to make men expect more from their wives.

And I doubt the wives will be pleased, either.

We’re going to work, cooking, cleaning and looking after our children but if we’re coming home and not rolling over, then we deserve to be cheated on?

It’s a crazy message to put out there.

As much as I find her actions shocking and her language vile, there’s no denying this girl is a marketing genius.

But what she’s doing is totally beyond my understanding and, worse, it’s threatening to damage a whole generation of young men and women.

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Watch emotional moment Charlotte Crosby breaks down in tears ahead of birth in first look at new TV series

PREGNANT Charlotte Crosby broke down in floods of tears in an emotional first look at her new TV series.

The Geordie Shore star, who is expecting her second child with fiancé Jake Ankers, stars in a new series following her pregnancy journey.

Charlotte Crosby crying while reading a letter.
MTV
Charlotte Crosby broke down in tears as she read a letter to her unborn baby[/caption]
Charlotte Crosby crying, shown in a scene from Geordie Shore.
MTV
The reality star was overcome with emotion[/caption]

In a new trailer, Charlotte sobbed as she read a ‘letter to her baby’.

Along with unseen photos of her, Jake and daughter Alba, TV star Charlotte became teary-eyed as she shared her letter.

It started: “Growing you is the greatest gift. The years leading up to this moment has been nothing short of a fairytale.

“A fairytale I never dreamed would have been mine.

“I spent a long period of time thinking true love didn’t exist, until that one day I met your dad. A hopeless romantic and a true gentleman and everything changed.

“He was like a shining knight you read about in story books.

“And very soon after we met, we were blessed with your big sister.”

One clip showed Charlotte in the delivery room just after giving birth to first child Alba.

Struggling to get the words out, a choked up Charlotte continued: “Alba rocked our world in all the best possible ways.

“She’s so excited to meet you and I can’t wait until you get here and welcome you into your little family.”

The four-part series will see Charlotte prepare for the arrival of her second child, which is due at the end of January.

Fans will get a real insight into how Charlotte juggles parenting daughter Alba with preparing for baby number two, managing her TV career and businesses, to celebrating her gender reveal in the Maldives.

It will also show Charlotte navigate the aftermath of her most terrifying ordeal to date – an armed robbery at her home.

Charlotte said about the series: “This chapter of my life has been a whirlwind, and I can’t wait to share every part of it with you all. From the joy of preparing for our new baby to the challenges we’ve faced as a family, this series is the most personal yet – and I hope you’ll love being on this journey with us.”

The Geordie Shore favourite announced she was pregnant with her second child in September.

Charlotte took to Instagram to announce the baby news alongside the launch of her second collection for her clothing brand Pepper Girls Club.

She said: “In my babies and business ERA delighted to announce baby Ankers number 2 is due January 2025 and also delighted to announce @peppergirlsclub AW collection is live now RIGHT NOW!!!!”

Charlotte’s baby news wasn’t a complete surprise for fans as back in April 2024 she spoke of how she was “trying” for baby number two.

Geordie Stories: Charlotte’s New Baby airs on Paramount+ on 4 March 2025.

Pregnant woman and man laughing on a boat in Dubai.
Charlotte’s spoke of how she was “trying” for baby number two back in April 2024
Instagram
Charlotte Crosby and her fiancé with their baby.
Instagram
Charlotte is already mother to her first daughter Alba Jean Ankers[/caption]

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EU crews jet in with 154k without power 5 days on & Martin faces Eowyn response blowback as weary householder lets rip

THE Taoiseach has been heavily criticised over the Government’s response to Storm Eowyn — as ­European repair crews arrived in Ireland amid the battle to restore power.

ESB bosses last night revealed 154,000 people still remain without electricity, while Uisce Eireann confirmed 11,500 premises are still ­without water.

Micheál Martin speaking to reporters in Roscommon.
The Taoiseach was confronted by a woman who has been without power and water for days
Social Media Collect
Thirty-six Finnish personnel at Dublin Airport for post-storm restoration efforts.
Repair crews arrived from EU countries to assist the ESB in restoring power
Fennell Photography
Workers clearing fallen trees after a storm.
The Irish Sun understands a new scheme to help households pay for the damage caused by Storm Eowyn
Copyright remains with handout provider

Amid growing anger over the blackouts, Micheal Martin was ­dramatically confronted today by a woman who has been without power and water for days.

Weary householder Rachel ­Connolly let rip at Martin as he visited a community hub in ­Castlerea, Co Roscommon.

During the showdown, Ms ­Connolly told the Taoiseach she was “very, very frustrated”, explaining how she had lost the entire contents of her fridge and freezer three times in the last year due to power outages.

Under-fire Martin told her a scheme is available to replenish the cost of the food through the ­Community Welfare Office.

But fed-up Ms Connolly insisted the public have not been told how to access the scheme and highlighted how many homes currently have no access to the internet.

Furious Rachel, who has been left reeling by four power outages in the last 12 months, revealed her electricity is not due to return until February 5 after Storm Eowyn.

And she accused the Taoiseach of failing to plan properly for it and abandoning communities to fend for themselves.

Ms Connolly declared: “Why didn’t you have something in place before? You knew this was coming — I’ve no power until February 5.

“I’ve had no contact from any member of any authority of any part of the Government. I’m very, very frustrated.

“No hand-washing facilities in a house for seven days isn’t acceptable. You need to listen to us.”

But defiant Martin strongly defended the Government’s response — despite thousands of households entering their sixth day without power or water.

Officials announced the EU is to send 17 power generators to help alleviate electricity outages, while repair crews arrived from EU countries including Austria and Finland to assist the ESB in restoring power.

Further technicians from the UK, Netherlands and France are expected to arrive in the ­coming days.

But thousands of power outage-hit families have been forced to travel to community response hubs across the country to warm up and use washing facilities.

Fianna Fail leader Martin today denied claims the Government delayed asking the EU for help after the countrywide destruction caused by Storm Eowyn.

Among those criticising the ­Government over its request for assistance was Midlands North-West MEP Ciaran Mullooly.

Mullooly said that Ireland was first offered help by the European Commissioner for crisis management last Wednesday — before the storm hit the country — and that the Government did not respond until days later.

But speaking to reporters in Co Roscommon, Martin hit back at the claims and also shot down calls for the Dail to be recalled amid the ongoing crisis.

He said: “I think this is ­completely overplayed, if I’m honest, in terms of the enormity and scale of the response to the storm.

“I actually think the work of the agencies should be now dealing with and responding to the needs of the people. The Dail debate in itself will not in any way help to restore power or, indeed, electricity.

“For a lot of the people involved, they are very frustrated at some of what’s been said, because they’ve worked night and day.

“They met well in advance of the storm, their first priority was to save life and limb and that means when the storm is raging, you can’t come out.

“The emergency crews can’t come out to assess the damage, and it’s only when the storm is over and the green light is given that people can go out and actually assess it.

“It took about 24 hours for an assessment. My understanding is then, after that assessment, a request is made, but we’ll check the details of that.”

The Irish Sun understands a new scheme to help households pay for the damage caused by Storm Eowyn will be brought before the Cabinet today.

The Extreme Weather Event Assistance Scheme will help homes, community organisations, farmers and businesses impacted by the storm.

There is already a humanitarian assistance fund in place to help people with the immediate impact of storms, but the new scheme will be more targeted, according to Government sources.

Martin has asked several ministers to bring updates on the storm response from their departments, including Housing, Social Protection and Enterprise.

And the Taoiseach has hailed the response of those fighting to get Ireland back on track, as he warned the country would face further savage storms in the future.

He added: “I want to pay tribute to the community spirit that has been very much evident, not just here, but across the country.”

Meanwhile, Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary, insisted that people impacted by Storm Eowyn should not be hungry or cold.

He said: “Funds are available through the Department of Social Protection. They’re doing fantastic work. We had 1,000 queries yesterday for assistance.

“People should not be hungry or cold.”

Storm victims include Galway widow Maureen Folan who has seen her life “turned upside down” after her family home was destroyed by hurricane-force Eowyn.

A GoFundMe has been launched by friends after ­Maureen’s roof was blown off by the strong winds, leaving her home completely uninhabitable.

Austrian electricity crew in Dublin Port after arriving to assist with post-storm restoration.
Further technicians from the UK, Netherlands and France are expected to arrive in the ­coming days
Fennell Photography
Minister Dara Calleary meeting with community members to discuss Storm Éowyn recovery.
The Taoiseach has hailed the response of those fighting to get Ireland back on track
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