Some new baby penguins have just be born at Chester Zoo, and they’re hands down the cutest things we’ve seen all week.
But, let’s be honest… would you expect them to be anything less?
The 11 new Humboldt penguins – which are one of the world’s 17 penguin species, and are described as being “highly threatened” – are not only really flipping adorable, but they’re also history-makers too, as they are the most to hatch during ‘hatching season’ at the UK’s biggest charity zoo for more than a decade.
Keepers at Chester Zoo say they’re “delighted” to report that each of the chicks have been nurtured beyond the first 40 days of their life, and this means they’re now ready to take on the world.
Unfamiliar with Humboldt penguins?
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11 new ‘highly threatened’ penguin chicks have hatched at Chester Zoo / Credit: Chester Zoo
This fluffy lot are usually found on the rocky coastal shores of Peru and Chile – but sadly, they are now listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the species is becoming increasingly rare due to threats from climate change, over-fishing of their natural food sources, and rising acidity and temperature levels in the oceans.
All of these factors are causing the penguins to search further from their nests for fish, which, unfortunately, increases their vulnerability.
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To help keepers at Chester Zoo stay on track of their newest arrivals, a different naming theme is chosen each year – with some previous innovative topics having included NHS heroes, brands of crisps, chocolate bars, and British Olympic athletes.
Keepers at the zoo say all the new chicks are looking “really healthy” / Credit: Chester Zoo
This year, they’ve gone with a Spring plants theme, as the chicks have been named after plants such as Nettle, Thistle, Dandelion, Tulip, and Daffodil.
Zoe Sweetman, who is the Team Manager of Parrots and Penguins at Chester Zoo, said all the chicks are looking “really healthy” and the parents have done a “superb” job of caring for their new arrivals up to this point.
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She continued: “As keepers, our main role in raising the new youngsters is to ensure the adult penguins have all they need. We also weigh the chicks regularly so that we can monitor their development, and on average, they’ve gone from a mere 80g to 2.5kg in just 40 days.
“It’s been a huge team effort.
“Each year, the team chooses a new naming theme for the chicks, and with 11 to name, we could have chosen to name them after an entire football team, but this year we’ve decided to go with plants.”
You can visit the new penguins at Chester Zoo and all the other animals by booking tickets here.
Manchester crowned UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026
Emily Sergeant
Prague, Amsterdam, Benidorm, and now… Manchester?
Jetting off to some of Europe’s cheapest capital cities for a boozy night out with your mates before tying the knot is pretty common-place in the world of stag do culture nowadays.
But some new research has now revealed the UK cities that deliver a legendary last hurrah without the price tag, or the need to hop on a plane.
Chillisauce, the UK’s leading hen and stag organiser, has analysed 81,000+ recent group bookings alongside survey feedback from 4,738 stag groups, cross-referenced against live 2026 travel fares, accommodation, and pint prices.
To devise its top 10 list, real price data has been blended with verified group satisfaction to guarantee stags and their pals the best experience.
With the pull of a major city with music, sport, food, and nightlife without London prices, Manchester was crowned the best-value city for a stag do in 2026 overall.
Manchester has been crowned the UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026 / Credit: Manchester City Council | shawnanggg (via Unsplash)
The average pint runs a little higher in Manchester than the smaller cities on the list, but groups rated the sheer scale and quality of the night out well above the cost, calling it ‘much more affordable than the South of England’ and ‘cheaper than London’.
For a weekend in Manchester, research found that the average cost per person includes £86.36 for accommodation, £36.66 for an activity, £25.08 for a drinks package, £29.35 for a meal, and the average pint coming in at £6.
“We send thousands of groups to Prague, Amsterdam, and Benidorm every year,” said Robyn Davis, Head of Stag and Hen at Chillisauce,”but Manchester keeps delivering nights out that groups tell us beat their expectations.
“There are also those only-in-Manchester touches too, like catching a match at Old Trafford or the Etihad on the same trip.
“Groups describe the locals as up for a laugh and the whole city as ‘built for a stag weekend,’ with a huge number of them already planning to go back, which is the real test of a great destination.”
Other northern destinations on the top 10 list include Newcastle, Leeds, and Liverpool.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off
Emily Sergeant
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off.
Okay, so it’s not technically closing down per se, but the current LOFT premises off Hyde Road near Piccadilly will officially close doors on 30 September, as the business consolidates its operations and relocates to its newly completed headquarters over at Trafford Park.
Unlike a typical closing-down sale, the stock isn’t old or unwanted. Instead, it’s a live snapshot of LOFT’s day-to-day business, and everything must go.
LOFT is known for furnishing properties across the build-to-rent, student accommodation, co-living, private rented, and social housing sectors, and that constant turnover naturally generates surplus – whether it be project overstock, end-of-line pieces or discontinued items making way for new collections.
The move over to Trafford Park is said to be a moment to clear the warehouse ‘completely’ and start the new chapter with a clean slate.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off / Credit: Supplied
This means that everything, from sofas and beds, to dining sets, armchairs, and home accessories, must go before the move, with prices already reduced by 50 to 70% below RRP.
Benjamin Hall, who is the Founder and CEO of LOFT, says this is the ‘biggest and best value’ sale the company has ever offered.
He explained: “As we settle into our new home at Trafford Park, we want a completely clean slate. Whether you’re a homeowner after a one-off bargain, or a landlord, agent or developer furnishing multiple units on a budget, there has never been a better time to visit.”
Emily Sergeant -
31st May 2024 
