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      in Motorsport

      Ex-Playboy model Brittny Button wears some top gear as she celebrates two years wed to ex F1 champ Jenson

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      EX-Playboy model Brittny Button looks racy in silk as she celebrates two years wed to former F1 ace Jenson.In an online post to his 33-year-old wife, the racing star said: “I love you Brittny Button.Stunning model Brittny Button poses in sexy silk gownCredit: Capture Media AgencyThe ex-playboy model is celebrating two years wed to former F1 ace Jenson ButtonCredit: INSTAGRAMI’m looking forward to the amazing journey ahead for us and our little family.”The couple live in Los Angeles in a home Jenson reportedly splashed £5million on.That’s after he flipped another property in the City of Angels for £4.7million, as well as a Palm Springs mansion for £2million.And did we mention he drives TWO cars worth £2million…READ MORE F1 NEWSButton has made a pastime out of buying homes over the years.At the turn of 2023, he purchased a stunning Santa Monica pad costing around £5million.The Spanish Revival bungalow boasts four bedrooms and three bathrooms, and is the perfect spot for Brittny and their two children, Hendrix and Lenny.That came 12 months after he bought a fixer-upper in California’s mountainous region between Calabasas and Malibu for £4million.Most read in MotorsportIn 2020, they reportedly sold a massive six-bedroom home in Bel Air for around £9million.Showing their love of flipping homes, his incredible Brentwood home, which featured five bedrooms, a pool and spa was also flogged for £4.7million.‘We’re always grateful’, says Christian Horner as he hails wife Geri Halliwell in Mother’s Day post amid sexting scandalThe couple also listed their four-bedroomed Palm Springs house for £2million, while Button’s wife Brittny said they have another home in the Californian desert.Brittney, who has recently turned her hand to interior design, said: “Between my design career and Jenson’s busy work schedule, on top of our family life, we don’t have time to manage two homes in Palm Springs. “We are so sad to say goodbye, but we know whoever is lucky enough to purchase the property will be very happy there.” More

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      in Soccer

      Boehly is struggling with stadium problem that even Abramovich couldn’t solve… but it is CRUCIAL to Chelsea’s future

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      WHILE Mauricio Pochettino struggles to construct a team on the pitch, his Chelsea bosses are finding it just as hard to build a stadium off it.The consortium fronted by Todd Boehly is not only struggling to match the football success achieved under Roman Abramovich.Todd Boehly has inherited a daunting problem over facilitiesCredit: RexPredecessor Roman Abramovich couldn’t solve pretty much the same issuesCredit: GettyTheir new regime is also finding it hard to overcome the main problem that even the billionaire Russian failed to solve in his 19-year reign.Namely, how to provide the  stadium and facilities befitting  a club that aspires to be one of the world’s best and necessary to generate the revenue to keep it that way.Chelsea, situated in one of the richest postcodes in the country, should be the most glamorous place to watch football in the Premier League, perhaps the world.But it is not even the top destination in London any more.READ MORE TOP STORIESArsenal, Tottenham and West Ham all moved into 60,000-seater homes while Roman’s roubles were taking the lion’s share of trophies to SW6.Stamford Bridge, with its three ageing stands and capacity of just over 40,000, now feels shabby and outdated by comparison.Just as importantly, both Arsenal and Tottenham make significantly more money per home match than Chelsea — £870,000 and £1.03million more per game, respectively.And that is a big reason why, in the latest Deloitte Money League, Tottenham overtook Chelsea for total income for the first time and became the top-earning club in  London with £549.2m in 2022-23.Most read in FootballIt would be unfair to say Abramovich and his henchmen and women did not see the writing on the wall. Battersea Power Station, White City, Chelsea Barracks and the former Earls Court Exhibition Centre — all were considered, rejected and, for some, considered again.To finance the move to a new site, Abramovich wanted to sell Stamford Bridge. But a key problem was — and is — that the club does not own the freehold of the stadium itself.Who could be Chelsea’s next manager after Pochettino?That was sold to a fan-run organisation called Chelsea Pitch Owners in 1997, in a move designed to  protect the club and its home after property speculators almost sold it out from under them.In 2011, Abramovich tried to buy back the freehold.SunSport revealed how a number of people connected to Abramovich, chairman Bruce Buck and other members of the Chelsea hierarchy bought large numbers of CPO shares in the build-up to the vote.But, perhaps because of the  atmosphere of distrust created, they failed to secure the 75 per cent of shareholder votes required to approve the sale.It was not the kind of cock-up you could imagine being made by Abramovich’s old pal Vladimir Putin.It was Abramovich’s links to Putin’s regime that ultimately killed off plans for a new stadium during his reign — and to him being forced to sell up and pass on the problem to new owners.Chelsea received planning permission for a new 60,000-seater ground at Stamford Bridge in early 2017.The FA liked the idea  of moving Tottenham out of Wembley and welcoming in another money-spinning tenant. But the Blues announced they were suspending plans indefinitely in May 2018, not long after the UK government refused to grant Abramovich a new visa.After Russia invaded Ukraine, Abramovich was among the cronies sanctioned and for a while the club’s existence seemed in the balance.Whose ground could Chelsea share?Any revamp of Stamford Bridge means a huge headache if Chelsea have to move out temporarily.
      Fulham is the nearest top-flight – but groundsharing would be a logistical nightmare.
      That’s why the Blues have already all but ruled it out.
      It’s mainly because Chelsea want a stadium holding at least 40,000, whereas Craven Cottage has a capacity of just 29k.
      But Stamford Bridge chiefs are also thought to be worried about the ground’s lack of corporate facilities.
      Wembley could be another option.
      Brent Council gave Tottenham permission to host 62,000 supporters when Spurs used the national stadium in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
      And a similar arrangement would suit the Blues.
      But there are practical difficulties, including Wembley being 10 miles away from Stamford Bridge and not the easiest of trips by public transport or car from Chelsea.
      Speculation has also surrounded West Ham’s London Stadium and rugby union “capital” Twickenham.
      But opposition from residents as well as fans make both venues appear to make long shots both venues.

      When Boehly and Clearlake Capital bought Chelsea for £2.5billion in May 2022, they pledged to invest £1.75bn more in a number of projects, including Stamford Bridge.They swiftly appointed Janet Marie Smith, an architect with extensive experience in renovating major sports venues in America, to oversee plans to revamp the Blues’ stadium.Last October, Chelsea agreed to buy Stoll Mansions and 1.2 acres of land next to the ground for £80m.Even that was not without controversy, since Chelsea pensioners living there would need to be relocated.But far bigger issues remain with Chelsea’s current home.The District Line runs east to west along one side of it and mainline rail north to south on another.There are important roads, social housing, Brompton Cemetery and all manner of things that make redeveloping the area a complicated, long and expensive process.The latest view from inside the club is that it would take six years to achieve but even that inconvenience would be better than the previous plan of going stand by stand.The alternative is to cough up for some prime real estate elsewhere — and the club seems no nearer to finding an affordable, viable site than it was before. Not if Earls Court would cost half a billion.It is a tough decision, crucial to the club’s future. Not something to rush.But the longer Chelsea’s owners wait, the more ground they will lose to their rivals, on and off the pitch. More

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      in Soccer

      Chelsea could be homeless for SIX YEARS as Todd Boehly faces huge dilemma over Stamford Bridge stadium redevelopment

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      CHELSEA are facing a nightmare choice over plans for a new stadium.Blues, bosses believe they have only two options — spend SIX YEARS away from Stamford Bridge while it is redeveloped, or pay over the odds to buy land and build elsewhere.Chelsea’s ageing stadium faces an uncertain futureCredit: GettyPrevious plans have hinted at how a future Stamford Bridge could lookCredit: Doug Seeburg – The SunBlues’ supremo Todd Boehly is tangling with huge practical and financial issuesCredit: ReutersAnd there is growing frustration inside the club that little progress has been made since the new owners arrived nearly two years ago.Chelsea had previously wanted to revamp the current stadium stand by stand, as Liverpool have been doing at Anfield.In October, the owners of a veterans’ housing block next to Stamford Bridge agreed to sell the club, under new owner Todd Boehly, a plot of land adjacent to the stadium for £80million.That deal is still to be finalised but sources say club chiefs have now decided that going through separate planning and construction processes and all the associated disruption, would be unworkable.READ MORE TOP STORIESSo if the Blues are determined to stay at the Stamford Bridge site that has been their home since 1905, it would mean demolishing the whole complex and starting again.The latest estimate is that such a project would take six years, forcing the club to rent a temporary home such as Wembley.Chelsea have been repeatedly linked with building a new ground on the site of the former Earls Court Exhibition Centre, about a mile from their current stadium. But just buying the land there would cost at least £500m before a brick was laid.Most read in FootballWhose ground could Chelsea share?ANY revamp of Stamford Bridge means a huge headache if Chelsea have to move out temporarily.

      Fulham is the nearest top-flight – but groundsharing would be a logistical nightmare.
      That’s why the Blues have already all but ruled it out.
      It’s mainly because Chelsea want a stadium holding at least 40,000, whereas Craven Cottage has a capacity of just 29k.
      But Stamford Bridge chiefs are also thought to be worried about the ground’s lack of corporate facilities.
      Wembley could be another option.
      Brent Council gave Tottenham permission to host 62,000 supporters when Spurs used the national stadium in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
      And a similar arrangement would suit the Blues.
      But there are practical difficulties, including Wembley being 10 miles away from Stamford Bridge and not the easiest of trips by public transport or car from Chelsea.
      Speculation has also surrounded West Ham’s London Stadium and rugby union “capital” Twickenham.
      But opposition from residents as well as fans make both venues appear to make long shots both venues.

      A new 60,000-seat stadium similar to Tottenham’s new ground would set them back at least £1billion more.The Chelsea ownership group fronted by Boehly spent £2.5bn buying the club in 2022 and promised £1.75bn of further investment.Who could be Chelsea’s next manager after Pochettino?Since then, more than £1bn has been spent on players.But the stadium project has moved much more slowly.Why the Blues must make the right decisionDAN KING gives his verdict on the big issues behind Chelsea’s redevelopment saga…
      Stamford Bridge, with its three ageing stands and capacity of just over 40,000, now feels shabby and outdated in comparison to their London rivals.
      Just as importantly, both Arsenal and Tottenham make significantly more money per home match than Chelsea — £870,000 and £1.03million more per game, respectively.
      And that is a big reason why, in the latest Deloitte Money League, Tottenham overtook Chelsea for total income for the first time and became the top-earning club in  London with £549.2m in 2022-23.No path forward looks simple.
      It is a tough decision, crucial to the club’s future. Not something to rush.But the longer Chelsea’s owners wait, the more ground they will lose to their rivals, on and off the pitch.
      Click here to read Dan King’s full view of Chelsea’s stadium predicament. More

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      in Soccer

      Ex-Premier League star’s dad reveals what life is like on ‘golden mile’ with £4m mega mansions home to football stars

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      A DAD of a former Premier League star has revealed what life is like on the “golden mile” where homes sell for around £4million.Grand mansions on the posh Fulwith Mill Lane in Harrogate have sold for between £2.5 and £3.5m in recent years and one is currently on the market with a price tag of £3.7m.
      One of the posh mansions on Fulwith Mill LaneCredit: MEN Media
      Boris Gnonto, the dad of Leeds United star Willy Gnonto, says he loves living in the areaCredit: MEN Media
      The country lane near Pannal is in the heart of Yorkshire’s Golden Triangle, which is home to those who are absolutely minted.
      Many homes are fitted with large electric gates, security cameras and guard dogs keeping watch for protection.
      They often come with swimming pools, tennis courts and well-maintained lawns and gardens.
      For those who can’t quite afford to live here, they can always saunter past dreaming which property they’d buy if they won big on the National Lottery.
      Read More on Home Security
      Resident Boris Gnonto, 55, the dad of Leeds United star Willy Gnonto, 20, loves living in the street along with his Italian superstar son.
      Boris, from the Ivory Coast, moved to the street last year and loves going for country walks in the neighbourhood.
      He told the Examiner: “I’ve been living here for one year. It’s easy for me. It’s very tranquil here which is very important. There’s no problems here. It’s very nice for me.”
      The location is great for Willy, who regularly has to go to the LUFC training ground in Thorp Arch, near Wetherby.
      Most read in Football
      Boris added that he hasn’t really connected with much of the neighbourhood so far as he’s happy with the company of his son.
      Michael Krzywonos, 27, works nearby and regularly walks across the street, but can only dream of owning a home on the lane.
      Inside Ashley Cole and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini’s fomer marital home that’s been sold for millions
      He said: “I remember this being called one of the top, most wealthiest streets in Yorkshire – but it’s just something I can dream about.
      “I think about ‘what do you have to do to get here, to buy a house like this?’”
      Michael, who works in finance, added that he was taken aback as he often sees the huge homes being torn down to make way for even grander properties.
      He said that he ever won the lottery he would buy one of the grand properties on the road.
      Solicitor Sarah, 35, who did not want to have her surname published, lives in the area, said that she felt quite sad that some of the mansions had been built on land which had been green space when she was a child.
      Sarah said: “It’s a bit daft, really, given the housing crisis and young people unable to get on the housing ladder and so many people waiting for houses.
      “When I was quite young, I had a friend who lived in one of the houses, it had a tennis court at the back.
      Cheshire’s Golden Triangle
      The Golden Triangle, which is also known as the Footballer Belt, is an area covering a cluster of small towns and villages in Cheshire.
      While the exact area is hotly debated it is generally considered to cover Wilmslow in the north, Alderley Edge to the south west and Prestbury to the south east.
      The area is popular with wealthy Premier League footballers along with business people and high-ranking figures in the entertainment industry.
      Of the 10 most expensive streets in the north west, five of them are in the area.
      The triangle covers the parliamentary constituencies of Macclesfield and Tatton.
      It is also the main basis for the reality TV show The Real Housewives of Cheshire.

      “That house there has guard dogs. I’ve got one of the Ring Doorbells – but guard dogs seem a bit unnecessary.
      “In all fairness, when we have friends over, we bring them over here with the dogs to look at the houses.”
      The news comes after fears have been raised due to a number of high-profile burglaries of the homes of footie stars.
      Just days ago, the former Tottenham star Etienne Capoue had his home raided by a gang of burglars while he had dinner with his wife and kids.
      Valencia police have opened an inquiry after a raid on Capoue’s house in the upmarket city suburb Betera.
      Meanwhile, a gang who burgled Jack Grealish’s home are believed to have carried out other raids on the home of Prem ace Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
      Cops looking into the robberies have dubbed them the “Balcony Burglars” after they used ladders to target balconies connected to the master bedrooms of each mansion. 
      Grealish’s home was targeted on December 27 as his family sat downstairs watching him play for City on the TV against Everton. 
      Former Liverpool and Arsenal ace Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards were also robbed by a gang in September 2022 by a gang who used a ladder to access a bedroom at their £3.5m mansion in Wilmslow, Cheshire. 
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      West Ham star Kurt Zouma’s family home in Essex was targeted while he was inside.
      The robbers also stole jewellery and high-end watches worth £1million – with Zouma forced to miss his team’s game against Crystal Palace.
      Grand properties in the lane sell for around £4mCredit: MEN Media More

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      in Soccer

      Inside Arsenal legend Sol Campbell’s incredible eight-bedroom mansion as ex-England captain slashes £10MILLION off price

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      SOL Campbell’s has slashed £10million off the price of his incredible eight-bedroom mansion.The ex-Arsenal and England star, 49, placed the Grade II-listed townhouse in Chelsea, West London, on the market for £25m in 2021.
      Sol Campbell has slashed the price of his Chelsea townhouseCredit: Getty
      The six-storey mansion boasts eight bedroomsCredit: Strutt & Parker (Estate Agents)
      The house also contains its own cinema and libraryCredit: Strutt & Parker (Estate Agents)
      Sol Campbell and Fiona Barratt at the Sporting Equals awards in October last yearCredit: Getty
      He first reduced the price of the six-storey house in September 2022 after reportedly being cheated out of £1.5m in rent.
      Sol was forced to go to court to obtain an eviction notice after a tenant failed to pay rent.
      He is thought to have owned the property since 2004, with then interior designer wife Fiona Barrett later extensively redesigning the home.
      But with the mansion still up for sale three years after it was place on the market, Sol has now reduced the asking price to £15m.
      Read more sport
      The stunning property contains six bedrooms in the main house along with a separate two-bed mews house accessed via an underground passageway.
      It also boasts an incredible drawing room, cinema, library, kitchen, and lift to go along with its views across the River Thames and Albert Bridge.
      On the market with Knight Frank, the property description adds: “A Grade II listed townhouse, overlooking the river, that has been extensively refurbished and excellently interior designed to create an elegant and substantial London home.
      “With secure gated access from the front, a walled garden and further protection provided by the mews house at the rear, this is a private and secure house that offers discretion and a sense of tranquillity throughout.”
      Most read in Football
      The townhouse is located in the exclusive street of Cheyne Walk, previously home to the likes of George Best, Keith Richard and Mick Jagger, The Mirror reports.
      But the footballer, who also played for Tottenham Hotspur and captained Portsmouth to FA Cup glory in 2008, has a mixed history with his former home.
      Sol was left seething following a rent dispute with a tenant two years ago.
      He claimed to have received a deposit and three months’ rent from a businessman who had just sold his insurance company for £1bn, but received no further payments.
      Since his retirement as a player, Sol has embarked on managerial spells at Macclesfield and Southend.
      But he also boasts a stunning property empire worth a whopping £50m, and his own furniture business with wife Fiona.
      Along with the Chelsea townhouse, he is said to own the nine-bedroom Grade II-listed Hallington Hall in Northumberland, as well as a luxury penthouse flat in West London.
      Representatives of the ex-footballer have been approached for comment.
      The townhouse boasts views over the River ThamesCredit: Strutt & Parker (Estate Agents)
      Sol has a mixed history with the propertyCredit: Getty More

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      in Soccer

      Inside Premier League star’s new £4.8million mansion with huge swimming pool, high-tech CCTV and ‘castle’ in the garden

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      CHELSEA star Carney Chukwuemeka has snapped up a £4.8million mansion complete a huge swimming pool and high-tech CCTV.The youngster’s luxury six-bedroom pad comes with a leisure complex including a 31x14ft swimming pool, jacuzzi, gym and triple garage.
      Carney Chukwuemeka joined Chelsea two years agoCredit: Alamy
      The Prem star has bought a new £4.8million mansionCredit: www.rightmove.co.uk
      The huge mansion has a grand reception areaCredit: www.rightmove.co.uk
      It also boasts a massive swimming poolCredit: www.rightmove.co.uk
      It has a grand entrance hall, a galleried landing, seven bathrooms, five reception rooms, family room, drawing room, breakfast room, study and office.
      The 9,393 sq.ft stately pile also boasts a media and games room, bar, party terrace, outdoor BBQ kitchen.
      And it even has a children’s climbing frame and castle to boot.
      In a sales brochure, estate agents gushed: “The property is finished to a very high standard and has a range of features including underfloor heating, a programmable sound system throughout and a sophisticated CCTV security system.
      Read More in Football
      “The grand galleried reception hall leads to the principal reception rooms, all of which ate the rear have French windows onto the entertaining terrace and gardens beyond, while the family room has superb full-height concertina doors.
      “The magnificent principal bedroom suite has two dressing rooms, a secondary bathroom/sitting room and French windows to a roof terrace overlooking the gardens.”
      Chelsea signed Chukwuemeka, 20, from Aston Villa on a six-year contract in a deal believed to be worth £20million, two years ago.
      The midfielder missed Saturday’s game against Manchester City with a twisted ankle after previously being sidelined with a knee injury.
      Most read in Football
      Chelsea are still languishing in 10th place in the Premier League table, 14 points adrift of the top four.
      Land Registry records show that he paid £4.8million for his Surrey home which had a guide price of £5.5million.
      But a housing developer has now applied for planning permission to build three homes on a nearby plot of land, which Chukwuemeka has objected to.
      In a letter to planners, he wrote: “Me and my family are new in the estate and this is maybe planning application number four we have received since being in the estate.

      “The estate will continue to increase in properties but the infrastructure remains the same.
      “I don’t think this is a good idea building more houses on a plot of land that originally had just one house on it. Not in support because of the number of new properties to be built there.”
      A chandelier gleams in one of the many fancy roomsCredit: www.rightmove.co.uk
      Carney Chukwuemeka prior to the FA Cup Fourth Round match against Aston VillaCredit: Getty More

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      in Soccer

      Premier League star’s shock after gang take over home he owns & turn it into cannabis factory with hundreds of plants

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      A CRIMINAL gang took over a Premier League star’s home and forced his tenant to let them grow cannabis.The cuckoo-plot crooks left the female occupant surrounded by hundreds of plants.
      A criminal gang took over a Premier League star’s home and forced his tenant to let them grow cannabisCredit: Getty
      The cuckoo-plot crooks left the female occupant surrounded by hundreds of plantsCredit: Getty
      But when police raided the home, the player had to prove his innocence to avoid charges.
      Police also released the tenant without charge after deciding she was set up by the gang.
      A source told The Sun: “This player owns the house in the North West as part of a buy-to-let empire.
      “Another family member manages the properties but they couldn’t believe it when cops found a large-scale cannabis farm.
      Read More on Football
      “The plants were taken away and destroyed and the player had to show paperwork to prove that while he was the owner of the property, he had someone else living in it.”
      Under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, production and possession of cannabis with the intent to supply is a criminal offence that can result in up to 14 years in jail.
      Landlords who fail to report suspicions of illegal activity can be liable and face the same penalty.
      Rental income could also be seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
      Most read in Football
      The number of cannabis farms operating in homes is growing.
      In June, more than 1,000 were raided, with plants worth £130million seized and 1,000 suspects arrested.
      Sham estate agents was a front for brazen drug lord who raked in £11m a YEAR
      Single plants are often attributed a value of £840 in criminal trials.
      The National Police Chiefs’ Council has said: “Organised networks involved in cannabis production are also directly linked to other serious criminality such as Class A drug importation, slavery, violence and exploitation.” More

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      in Motorsport

      Lewis Hamilton ‘ran me over’ in go kart aged 7 – neighbours love him but one of his remarks went down like lead balloon

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      FORMER neighbours of Sir Lewis Hamilton have fondly remembered his time in their town but said one of his remarks went down “like a lead balloon”.Locals said they knew the Formula One ace was destined for greatness when he hurtled round their council estate on a go-kart at the age of seven.
      Lewis Hamilton’s first home in StevenageCredit: Andrew Styczynski
      Trevor Lugmayer pointing to where a Blue Plaque use to hang saying ‘Lewis Hamilton Racing Driver lived here 1997-2001’Credit: Andrew Styczynski
      Trevor has bought the house next door where Hamilton’s mother Carmen livedCredit: Andrew Styczynski
      Lewis Hamilton is joining Ferrari from next yearCredit: Alamy
      And the local postman revealed exclusively how Lewis had his first crash, when he ran slap-bang into his legs as he delivered mail in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.
      “I shouted ‘Hey, look out, you little bugger’,” said the postie, who asked not to be named. 
      “Then he whacked into me, going like the clappers on his little cart.
      “But Lewis did say ‘sorry’. He was a lovely lad and his family were very nice people too. I often used to chat to his dad.
      Read More in F1
      “I’m not at all surprised he ended up as world champion.
      “And there’s not many postmen can say they were once run over by Lewis Hamilton!”
      Former engineer Peter Fuller, 80, who lived just down the road from the Hamilton family, told how he would often “straighten out” Lewis’s go-kart after he’d had “a bump”.
      “He used to play with my kids,” said Peter.
      Most read in Motorsport
      Inside Lewis Hamilton’s £13m collection of supercars including £4m classic and £1.6m ride made entirely for him
      “He could be a bit mischievous, but he was a nice lad. Everybody liked him.
      “I’m not at all surprised he became the world champion – even as a kid he was very competitive and never frightened to have a go.”
      Shopworker Tia Brown, 25, whose parents moved into the Hamilton family’s old house after they left, told how he occasionally popped back to look at his childhood home.
      “Once he came round on my birthday and brought me some cake,” she said.
      “Another time when I was in secondary school he visited with his girlfriend.
      “I think Lewis is great. Despite his wealth, he is a really lovely down-to-earth lad.”
      ‘LOVELY LAD’
      The house in Stevenage, where the youngster started racing model cars and go-karts, has since changed hands several times.
      When the Hamilton family left the home, they moved into two detached houses just a couple of miles away.
      Lewis lived in one with his father and stepmother, while his mum lived in the one next door.
      Both are reckoned to be worth well over a million pounds.
      Lewis Hamilton, 39, recently signed a £100million mega deal to join Ferrari in a switch that has shocked F1.
      The seven-time world champion has agreed to drive for F1’s most famous team in 2025 and 2026.
      But the multi-millionaire upset many locals a few years ago during the BBC Sports Personality of the Year contest when he slagged off Stevenage.
      He told host Gabby Logan: “It really was a dream for us all as a family to do something different;  for us to get out of the slums.”
      The then leader of Stevenage Council described his comment as “disappointing” and said local people felt “very offended”.
      Kerry Gray lives near to Lewis Hamilton’s first homeCredit: Andrew Styczynski
      Peter Fuller used to fix Hamilton’s broken go kartsCredit: Andrew Styczynski
      Hamilton’s former home down a leafy Hertfordshire laneCredit: Andrew Styczynski
      Retired businessman Trevor Lugmayer and his wife Valerie now live in one, while their daughter Sherry and her family are next door.
      “This is certainly no slum,” said grandfather Trevor, 78, who was once a professional DJ.
      “I don’t think Lewis could have been serious when he made that remark.
      “On the contrary, it’s an extremely desirable area. One house down the road sold the other year for more than a million.
      “And at one time there was a covenant which meant the houses could only be sold to professional people like doctors, lawyers and accountants.”
      There used to be a blue and white plaque on the side of Trevor’s house saying that Lewis Hamilton once lived there.
      But light-fingered souvenir-hunters unscrewed it in the middle of the night .
      Trevor added: “We still get fans coming round from time to time. But they’re not much of a problem
      “Lewis’s brother also pops back occasionally in his yellow Lamborghini car.
      “But he doesn’t hang about afterwards – when he’s ready to go, he just puts his foot down and ‘whoosh’ his car has vanished.”
      Once this Formula One season is over, six-times world champion Hamilton plans to leave his Mercedes team and join rivals Ferrari in a multi-million pound deal.
      “Who can blame him for that?” asked Mr Fuller. 
      “Who wouldn’t switch teams with that sort of money being offered?
      “His slum remark the other year did go down like a lead balloon but if was off-the-cuff  and I don’t think he meant it the way it came across.
      “Although compared to where he now lives in Monaco, virtually anywhere else in the world would be considered a slum!”
      WHO COULD REPLACE HAMILTON AT MERCEDES?Mercedes will have a vacant seat for 2025.
      Here, SunSport’s F1 correspondent Ben Hunt looks at FIVE potential candidates who could replace him and partner George Russell in the Silver Arrows.
      Oscar Piastri – McLaren have sewn up Lando Norris to a new long-term contract that should (in theory) put him out of Mercedes’ reach. However, they are yet to tie down his teammate Piastri, 22. The Aussie has an excellent record and won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles before spending a year on the sidelines with Alpine and getting his chance in F1 with McLaren. He impressed on his debut season last year and has the potential to be a world champion.
      Daniel Ricciardo – The experienced driver’s future remains in doubt as he bides his time at Red Bull’s B-team. Ricciardo would be low-hassle and offer some stability but by that time he would be 35. It seems unlikely that they would opt for him at this point in his career, but if he has a good season this year, he could come into the reckoning.
      Kimi Antonelli – You may not have heard of the Italian, but he is mustard. Still only 17, he has won at all the junior categories and has been part of the Mercedes young driver programme since 2019. This season he has been promoted from F4 to F2, where he has been tipped to shine. A good debut season in F2 could sway Mercedes into taking a risk on him for 2025. Antonelli and his family are close to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
      Mick Schumacher – Wolff has always been so incredibly supportive of Schumacher and spoken highly of him, that you’d at least expect him to come into consideration. He knows the team from his role as reserve driver and consequently would get up to speed. But speed is also the problem. He was shocking at Haas and if he really was THAT good, he’d still be driving in F1.
      Alex Albon – A more-sensible choice would be the London-born Albon. A great guy who is also very quick. He has a fantastic relationship with Russell and would be the low-maintenance quick partnership similar to Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas that swept to successive titles. Albon would take little convincing to join from Williams and Mercedes would not need to pay him half of the £50million they were dishing out to Hamilton.

      Grandmother Kerry Gray, 51, who lives a couple of doors away, moved into the street after the Hamilton family had left.
      But she said: “No way is this a slum. I came here from Harlow and it’s much better than there. I love Stevenage and we have some really good neighbours.”
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      Another neighbour Enrique Camilleri, a 20-year-old support worker, said: “I think Lewis was exaggerating to call this a slum. I really like living here, there’s never any trouble.”
      Lewis Hamilton’s reps have been contacted for comment.
      The seven-time Drivers Championship winner will join Ferrari in 2025 More