An interview with some England fans who ended up back at a Sheikh’s palace while searching for beer in Qatar has gone viral.
As unbelievable as it sounds, they’re actually telling the truth – and there’s video footage to prove it.
With the 2022 World Cup having now officially kicked-off, and Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squad set to face Iran for their first match in the group stage at 1pm today, England fans out in Qatar have been soaking up the atmosphere that comes along with a football’s flagship tournament, and have been trying to enjoy themselves as much as possible.
But, unlike in the majority of World Cups in the past, it’s a much more sober affair for fans this time round, as Qatar’s strict laws on alcohol mean that beer has officially been prohibited by the country in and around stadiums.
It’s thought that fans hoping to enjoy a drink before heading to the match, or to celebrate successes afterwards, will have to get a little more creative in their search for beer.
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And for a couple of England fans, that search took them all the way to a Qatari Sheikh’s palace.
In an interview with talkSPORT – which is currently going viral on social media – the excited Scouse duo explained that they’ve just been “having a good time” and “enjoying ourselves” since landing in Doha, but that things took a bit an unexpected turn when they began exploring the streets of the Qatar capital city in the search for a drink.
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“We met one of the Sheikh’s sons & he took us back to the palace!” 😮
“We were on the hunt for beers and we ended up at a big palace, we saw his monkeys & exotic birds!” 🐒
“We’ve just been having a good time, having a mooch, and trying to get our bearings,” one of the fans explained, adding that the “set-up’s spot on”.
His mate Joe then chimed in to admit that they met one of the Sheikh’s sons last night and he “took us back to the palace and showed us he had lions and everything”, before adding that the royalty and Qatar locals have made them “feel so welcome”.
The other lad then divulged even further about how they ended up back at the palace, and described the whole experiences as “nuts”.
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“Basically we were on a bit of a hunt for some beers and he was like ‘yeah, we sort beers, we sort beers’, so we jumped into the back of his Toyota Landcruiser, ended up at a big palace,” he explained.
“He showed us his monkeys, his exotic birds – it was nuts.”
With the interview having now gone viral on social media, racking up millions of views and thousands of interactions, understandably, many people are a bit skeptical about the validity of the story and whether or not the two fans were actually telling the truth.
Popular Twitter account Didn’t Happen of the Year Awards even admitted in response to the video that it’s “not often I’m speechless like this.”
But, in what is an absolute turn up for the books after someone went in search of proof the chain of events is real, video footage from the visit to the palace shared on the fans’ Snapchat has been recovered and made its way onto social media.
The Three Lions’ first game against Iran kicks-off at 1pm GMT, with their second group game against the USA taking place on 25 November, and the final clash of the group stage coming against Wales on 29 November.
Featured Image – talkSPORT (via Twitter)
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Two North West cities named among the ‘noisiest’ in the UK – including Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A new analysis has revealed a list of the noisiest cities in the UK, and two Greater Manchester locations are in the top five.
From blaring sirens and car horns, to house parties, barking dogs, and loud neighbours, escaping the noise of a city can feel almost impossible – even in your own home.
No matter whether you live in the hustle and bustle, or you’re out in the sleepier suburbs, noise can keep you up at night, disturb your peace, and lead to frustration. But just how loud are Greater Manchester’s cities compared to the rest of the UK? In a bid to get to the bottom of it, Alpine Hearing Protection has done some research to compile a top 10 list.
And both Salford and Manchester have found themselves not just within the top 10, but within the top five… and to make matters worse, Salford has actually claimed the number one spot.
The reason Salford has found itself at the top of the list, according to the research, is because it sits at the intersection of several major transport and urban hubs, with major motorways running through or around the city including the M60, M61, and M62.
Major rail routes also run through the city – including via Salford Crescent – which sees 16 million passengers every year, and also leads to Manchester Airport.
Top 10 noisiest cities in the UK
Salford
Portsmouth
Manchester
Southampton
London
Leeds
Stoke-on-Trent
Wakefield
Newcastle upon Tyne
Bradford
Parts of Salford are also very built-up, making pockets of the city noisy – especially in the concentrated centre where traffic, construction, nightlife and commercial activity get loud.
And of course, like any growing city, construction noises have been noted as ‘particularly bothersome’ for residents where major developments are springing up.
Manchester is third on the list of noisiest cities, due to many of the same reasons as Salford.
But the difference being that Mancunians are noted as one of the many reasons why the city is so loud – with residents making 5,301 noise complaints across Manchester between January 2024 and January 2025, and Hulme identified the loudest area with 304 complaints.
As well all know, Manchester is also home to many universities, which brings an active nightlife scene to the region, especially in the city centre, and in recent FOI data, it was revealed that the University of Manchester saw 2,049 noise complaints in the last five years.
Motorists warned of common winter driving habit that could land them with annoying fines
Emily Sergeant
With the temperatures drastically dropping now as we head into winter, motorists are being warned against a common driving habit.
On a wintry morning when the windscreens are frozen and your hands are equally as frozen too, it’s pretty common for drivers to start the engine, turn the heater right up, and remain stationary for several minutes to warm the car up before setting off on their journey… but did you know that doing this could see you, inadvertently, fall foul of the law?
That’s right – as ridiculous as it sounds, leaving your car engine running ‘unnecessarily’ while parked on a public road is illegal.
And to make matters worse, the rules on ‘engine idling’, as it’s known, apply regardless of whether the driver is using the heating, waiting for someone, or simply sitting in the vehicle.
Known as a stationary idling offence, Rule 123 of the Highway Code states that drivers must not leave a vehicle’s engine running unnecessarily while it is stationary on a public road, and according to the rule, a fixed penalty of up to £80 can be issued, right there and then.
Motorists are being warned of a common winter driving habit that could land them with annoying fines / Credit: PickPik | Wikimedia Commons
Fines will only be handed out if a motorist is stopped by a police officer who asks them to switch the engine off, and they fail to comply.
“However tempting it might be to sit in a vehicle with the engine running and the heater on to warm up, we strongly advice against it,” commented RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis.
“As well as polluting the air and wasting fuel, drivers who leave their engines idling unnecessarily on a public road also risk an on-the-spot fine of £80. On cold mornings, the best approach is to clear any ice or snow properly and ensure windows are fully de-misted before setting off, then get on your way and let the car warm you up.”
There are some exceptions to the rule, however, as keeping the engine running is permitted in certain circumstances.
This includes when a vehicle is stationary because of traffic conditions, when the engine needs to run so a mechanical fault can be investigated, or if certain work is being carried out on the side of the road.
Emily Sergeant -
21st November 2022 
