Table of contents for 05-Apr-2018 in Chat

Meet gorgeous little Makari. He’s an endangered western lowland gorilla cub – seen here cuddling up to his loving mum, Miliki. Born in Blackpool Zoo last September, Makari has been spotted taking his first wobbly steps and bonding with his dad, Bukavu. Makari joins older sister Meisie, 7, and half-brother Moanda, 5, making this happy family a really big hit with visitors at the zoo. You can check out some more cute photos of other adorable baby animals simply by going to lifedeathprizes.com  and searching ‘baby animals'.…

Kurvin Richardson, 38, was found guilty of first-degree murder on 3 April 2009 and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. Sergio, who was comforted by his uncle Isaias in court, said afterwards, ‘I feel kind of relieved. I’m stunned and relieved at the same time.’ Sergio wasn’t the only one. Another of Noemi’s sisters, Norma, said, ‘I was 22 at the time that my sister was murdered and I never got to mourn her properly. Now I can let her go, let her be at peace, instead of carrying this heavy weight around.’…

L'Oréal Paris Smooth Sugars Clear Scrub, £9.99, Superdrug Using a blend of three natural sugars, this gentle scrub buffs away impurities to stop your skin becoming dull and lacklustre with city grime. My Skin Matters Q10 Multi-Protection Day Cream, £3, Sainsbury's  Pollution and UV rays age your skin. This uses anti-pollution technology and a really hydrating, SPF15 formula to give great protection. Formula 10.0.6 Be Berry Bright Exfoliating Mud Mask, £7.90, birchbox.co.uk  Rich in antioxidants, which help stop the ageing process, this super scrub sloughs away dead skin for a clearer complexion and a really deep cleanse. Nivea Daily Essentials Urban Skin Detox Night Cream, £7.99, Boots  It might seem daft to worry about pollution at night, but this cream works while you sleep to detox away the…

I never thought I’d meet the love of my life when I was just 16. But then life is full of surprises. And another one was that my parents approved! ‘Seems like a nice boy,’ my dad Richard smiled when I brought Adam home for the first time. That meant a lot to me. I was a real Daddy’s girl – I even called my father Daddy, no matter how old I got. Three years later, in 2010, Adam proposed. Daddy and my mum Joan were so excited for us. But we were still young. There was no need for us to rush down the aisle. Then Daddy got ill. He’d suffered liver problems for as long as I could remember and often needed to have hospital treatment. But, because…

Nipping to the loo, I checked my reflection in the full-length mirror. It was habit. Only, this time, I felt a jolt of realisation. I was huge. And I didn’t want to be. It was May 2016, I was at my local Wagamama – and I’d just stuffed myself with noodles and dumplings. All the things I loved. That sort of food was my kryptonite – my ultimate weakness, like the Man of Steel! Well, my mum Fang, 59, was Chinese, after all! But, as I stared in the mirror at my bulk, I felt so unhappy. There and then, I snapped a full-body selfie. Time to change, I thought. The previous week, leading up to this moment, had been absolutely hellish. At 31st, I stood out – but the…

Hugging and laughing, we were so excited Relaxing on the sofa on a cold November day last year, I scrolled dreamily through online pictures of sunny beaches on my laptop. I longed to be somewhere warm. In the middle of a British winter, who wouldn’t? Snapping back to reality, I watched my partner Salim, 52, potter around the living room. With my laptop already on my knees, I thought I’d have a few games on Chat Mag Bingo. I’d been playing for about six years, after decades of going to the bingo halls. I’d enjoyed going to the halls but, with online bingo, you can play from the comfort of your own home. Perfect for those cold, grey days! One of my fave things about Chat Mag Bingo is the…

My mind was sharp... and I’d always been creative As she pushed my wheelchair through the front door, my mum Sandra, then 34, smiled. ‘Welcome home, love,’ she said. ‘I promise we’re going to make your life as normal as possible.’ It was 2 April 1990. I was 6 and hadn’t been home in nearly five years. Aged 2, I’d been involved in a serious car accident, almost died. I don’t remember the car hitting me. Just that it left me quadriplegic, without the use of my limbs, unable to walk. Wheelchair-bound, I would always need to be on a life-support machine. Mum had fought to get me home. She wanted me to have a normal life, not attached to a hospital bed. I didn’t know any different. I couldn’t…

1 Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Perhaps the most impressive welcome to the city, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque accommodates a whopping 50,000 worshippers. 2 Louvre Abu Dhabi This highly anticipated attraction finally arrived in late 2017. The project features a medina-inspired sequence of white buildings flanking the elaborate filigree dome. 3 Ferrari World Abu Dhabi Here, the world's fastest roller-coaster accelerates from 0kmh to 240kmh in 4.9 seconds - as close to an F1 experience as you can get! 4 Observation Deck at 300 On the 74th floor of Tower 2 at the Etihad Towers complex, the Observation Deck at 300 (which refers to metres above ground) boasts 360-degree views of Abu Dhabi's striking skyline. 5 Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital Falconry is an important part of Bedouin culture. Tours include…

Shockingly,Ed had an evil ulterior motive THE STORY When police showed up at Debra Graziano’s door in February 2009, her heart sank. What now? She’d already been through so much heartache. ‘We believe your husband is trying to pay someone to kill you,’ officers told her. Detectives expected Debra to freak out, to start crying. Yet she didn’t. Instead, Debra thought about the abuse she’d suffered at the hands of her husband, Edward Graziano, over their 31-year marriage. ‘That’s funny,’ she replied. ‘I thought he was going to do it himself.’ But what had to led to this? Why would a husband want to kill his once-beloved wife? The story started just a few years earlier… Back then, the Graziano family appeared to live in harmony. Debra and her husband…

Slipping into my white, protective uniform, I got ready for my shift. ‘Morning!’ I waved to my colleague John. It was May 2016, and I worked as an operator for a defence technology plant that produced flares for the UK and US armed forces. I had to dry the explosive chemicals and powders. Sounds dangerous, but there were lots of safety measures in place and I’d been doing the job for nine months, so felt confident. That day, it was just John and me on shift. Busying myself, I placed each explosive powder into a drying machine. Four hours passed, when I started to feel strange. My face was overheating. Something’s wrong, I thought. ‘It’s really hot, is my suit on properly?’ I asked John. My protective gear was supposed…

Serves: 12 Prep: 25 mins Cook 20 mins Cost per serving: 47p 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Blend 170g cooked beetroot, 2 eggs, 140ml walnut oil and 1tsp vanilla essence until smooth. 2 Sift 170g plain flour, 1½tsp baking powder, 3tbsp cocoa powder, a pinch salt, 70g soft brown sugar and 100g golden caster sugar into a bowl. Mix in the beetroot mixture with an electric hand mixer until combined. Stir in 3tbsp chopped walnuts. 3 Line a 12-hole cupcake tray with cupcake cases and divide the cake batter equally. Bake in the oven for 15-20 mins or until risen and cooked through, then leave aside to cool. 4 For the frosting, whisk 125g butter until white and fluffy. Add 250g icing sugar, 125g cream cheese and a…

Forever burnt? Q I burned my arm on my oven 15 months ago, and there's still a brown mark there! Is it permanent? Liz, 38 A Probably not permanent, but it could take months to fade. It's post-inflammatory pigmentation. Inflammation from any cause - rubbing, infection, burns, eczema - causes your skin to make brown pigment. A steroid or lightening cream from your GP might help if necessary. Muscle twinge Q Sometimes my calf muscles twitch and wriggle. My husband thinks it should be checked. Is he right? Siobhan, 45 A This is called fasciculation, where individual muscle fibres twitch on their own and can look like a bag of worms wriggling under your skin! In your calves, it's usually normal but if it affects other muscles, or you have…

Lost property As I walked my daughter Holly, now 11, to school one day, she found a shoe by the side of the road. Looking sad, she said, ‘Mum, can we get this shoe back to its owner? It’s got her name inside. She’s called Dorothy Perkins.’ Vanessa Clough, Leeds Lights out I’m getting on in years, and while buying energy-saving lightbulbs with my wife one day, I found one stating it would last for 15 years. On reading this, with a grim smile on her face, my wife said, ‘Oh dear, you’re likely to “go out” before that bulb does!’ DW Shattock, Bristol Beer first! Saw this sign and, of course, I just had to stop for a picture. A very important life lesson! Lucy Neville, West Midlands Photo…

Working long hours in a bar – there’s nothing I like more than putting my feet up after work. Sometimes I like to play bingo. Me and my fiance Gary, 52, have been playing it for years. We play Chat Mag Bingo and the site has loads of games – not just bingo but slots, too, and you can play on your mobile. On 11 August last year it was just like any other evening. I’d got back about 6pm and Gary was already home and he had the dinner in the oven. I knew that there was a Link game in Emerald, the 90-ball bingo room from 6.30pm, so I logged on to catch the game. A link game is a bingo game where different rooms play together for…

Opening my apartment door, my date Martin Trenneborg walked in. ‘I’ve brought some champagne and strawberries,’ he blushed. Bless! I thought. He seemed awkward and nervous, so I poured us a glass of bubbly to put him at ease. It was September 2015, and this was my second date with Martin. He was a doctor, well spoken, acted like a gentleman. But for me, it was purely business. See, I worked as an escort and Martin was paying me for my time. On our first date, a few days before, he’d asked me to accompany him to a dinner party tonight. ‘It starts at 9pm,’ he’d said. ‘But I’ll come to yours at 6pm for drinks.’ That’s why he was here now. As we sat on the bed chatting, Martin…

Serves: 4 Prep: 15 mins Cook: 15 mins Cost per serving: 64p 1 Fry 2 chopped onions in 1tbsp olive oil in a saucepan for 5 mins until soft. Add 1 chopped courgette and 200g sugar snap peas and fry for 2 mins. Add 2 grated garlic cloves and cook for 1 min. 2 Add 1tbsp Swiss veg bouillon to 500ml boiling water, stir and add to the saucepan. Bring to the boil, lower to a simmer. 3 Throw in 350g frozen peas and 2 handfuls spinach - once spinach has wilted, take off the heat and add 1 handful mint leaves and salt and pepper. Blitz with a food processor until smooth. Top with mint, crushed pine nuts and stir in 1 spoonful plain yogurt.…

‘This is the best day of my life!’ little Leon sobbed My boys Troy, 12, Leon, 10, and daughter Jennifer, 8, crowded around the monitor, watching their baby brother wriggle on screen. ‘You can see his face,’ grinned Troy. ‘He’s so cute!’ squealed Leon. It was November 2016 and my third son, Oliver, was due the following May. At 16 weeks, me and my partner Paul, 33, had decided to have a 3D scan. We loved seeing Oliver’s tiny hands, nose and mouth. Only, in January 2017, at six months pregnant, my waters broke. I was admitted to Liverpool Women’s Hospital while Paul looked after the boys. Doctors tried to delay the birth – but, after 10 days, Oliver was delivered weighing just over 1lb. Oliver was rushed to Neonatal…

He’d leave me...or one of us would have cancer. Or he’d die... Standing at the bar, I caught a glimpse of a handsome stranger. I thought nothing of it. Only, I kept spotting him throughout the night. ‘I think he fancies you,’ my mate Donovan, 20, joked. It was September 2008, and we were enjoying a spontaneous night on the town. We’d made a beeline for our local pub. ‘He’s a friend of mine, you’d make a good couple,’ Donovan grinned. I just rolled my eyes. Not interested, I thought. I’d been cheated on in the past, had trouble trusting men. That night, I was just glad to get out of the house. Only, over the next few days, I couldn’t get that bloke from the bar off my mind.…

Reggae music boomed from the speakers. ‘Let’s have a dance,’ my dad Clemuth, 59, grinned to my youngest girl Shayanna, 3. Dad only lived round the corner, was always popping in. Scooping Shayanna up into his arms, he waltzed her around the living room. Singing along, too. ‘Twirl me round, Grandad!’ Shayanna squealed, delighted. Dad was a real family man, doted on his 14 grandkids. He loved getting everyone together for a big Sunday dinner, or taking the little ones to the park for a game of cricket. His other passion was cars. Dad was a mechanic and, even when he clocked off, he’d be tinkering around under a bonnet for friends or family. Always smiling. Only, in December 2016, Dad seemed different, distracted. ‘What’s up?’ I asked him one…

She had morning sickness and I had sore ribs... Sipping on her wine, my best mate Tanya, 25, let out a sigh. ‘I’d love to meet someone,’ she said. ‘I’m bored of being single.’ It was December 2011 and I’d invited Tanya round for a girly chat. ‘I know just the man for you,’ I said. Andy, 27, was my boyfriend Ben’s best mate and one of the sweetest, funniest men I’d met. Tanya looked unconvinced. ‘I’ve seen him at your parties,’ she said. ‘He’s a bit of a joker.’ But I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. ‘What have you got to lose? You’ll get a free dinner out of it!’ I joked. That swung it! ‘All right, I’ll go for the free meal,’ she said, laughing.…

The idea was so simple – but so perfect. ‘Why don’t we both sell our houses and buy somewhere together?’ I suggested to Mum. She’d had lots of health problems, but after she had a fall at home, I really worried about living too far away to be on hand in an emergency. ‘Hmm – the new place would have to have a separate annexe,’ Mum replied. ‘I still need my independence.’ That was typical of my mum Jose, then 78. She was resilient and determined – and the most loving mum and nan you could ever hope for. Once we’d found a suitable house in Essex, Mum, me, my husband and our three grownup kids moved in just before Christmas, four years ago. We were busy sorting the house…

Gently cradling the bedraggled kitten, I bottle-fed her some milk. ‘You poor little thing,’ I said. It was the early 1980s, I was 30, and a neighbour had discovered the stray down our street. She was freezing cold and had matted fur. At death’s door. My heart melted. So I named her Sally, fed her up. After that, I was hooked. I’d been a pub landlady for years – but in the 1990s, I opened a cattery for abandoned and unwanted moggies. I’d have up to 100 at a time, until I retired at 60, in 2012. I rehomed the cats, keeping seven of my own – Bonnie, Red, Bradley, Jack, Amber, Rosie and her tortoiseshell little sister Sophie. Sophie had been skin and bone when I’d rescued her aged…

Face-paint fun My daughter Lexie, 5, turned into a unicorn for the day, and my son Jacob, 7, couldn't decide if he wanted to be Batman or Captain America! Stacey Greenwood Bullock, Wakefield New wheels Here's my beautiful granddaughter Lily, 2, trying out her new bike in the park. She doesn't look too amused! Linda Regan, Milton Keynes Doughnut you look cute! My son Abrey, 4, is looking even sweeter than usual, donning his doughnut-tray costume! Gemma Davies, Gloucester…

Andstillhavefun At Chat Mag Bingo we want you to enjoy the experience without spending beyond your budget. We've got handy tools such as setting your deposit limit or adding a session reminder, which are all easily accessed from your account. We also have tips for you to get the most from your Bingo fun. • There are value Bingo games with tickets between just 1p and 10p each. • Look out for Promotional Games with offers where you can Buy 2 Tickets, Get 1 or even 2 Free Tickets. • Check as there are often Free Bingo games on offer. • Play in the bingo rooms, where the Chat hosts play games with members and you could win a cash bonus. • Try the Daily Free Games, where you can…

Asda Profiterole Dessert, 500g, £2.50 Swimming in choc sauce, with a super-sweet filling, more like a custard. Good if you have a very sweet tooth! Morrison's Profiteroles, 450g, £2.50 The chocolate was firm - but there was a little too much. But the vanilla mousse in the centre was tasty. Sainsbury's 12 Belgian Chocolate Profiteroles, 280g, £2.50 The ratio of choc to cream and pastry was just right. Sweet, without being too sickly and much easier to share. NEW  Pudology Skinny 2 Puds, 50g, £2, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Ocado Gluten- and dairy-free, low-cal pots - in a range of delicious flavours.…

It was like a scene from Casualty, not real life Yawning, I stood at the kitchen sink washing up with my hubby, Ryan, 43. It was January 2017 and we’d just cooked a Sunday roast after a hectic day running around after our three kids, Oisin, 9, Ciara, 7, and Eoin, 2. Suddenly, there was a howl from the other room. ‘I’ll go,’ I sighed. Rushing into the living room, Eoin was lying on the carpet in tears. ‘What happened?’ I asked, scooping him up. ‘He fell off the arm of the sofa,’ Oisin shrugged. ‘There, there,’ I soothed, carrying Eoin to the kitchen. I put him on my knee, gave him a cuddle, checking his head for lumps. To my relief, there was nothing. He seemed fine. After a…

At first, it seemed like any other Sunday morning in the Romanian village of Naipu. But 20 August 2017 saw the beginning of a terrifying series of events that would leave an unsettling mark on the village. Sitting 30 miles south-west of the capital Bucharest, Naipu is home to a small and close-knit religious community. Among them are Daniel and Ramona Dobre, and their son Andrei, 11. That day, the Dobres were disturbed by loud noises on their house roof, as if somebody was pelting it with stones. It turned out that’s exactly what was happening. Small rocks kept showering down on the Dobre home all day but, whenever Daniel or Ramona ran to look, there was no-one to be seen. Other villagers saw stones being thrown at the roof,…

Aries 21 March - 20 April You’ve a difficult choice to make. You’d love to shift the responsibility, but can’t. This is yours and yours alone! The good news is that everyone understands and will accept your decision. Good luck! Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April - 21 May Revisiting the past throws up surprises - you’ll discover things you didn’t know about what really happened and why people acted as they did. Now you’ll view the episode more favourably. Leave it that way… Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May - 21 June If you’ve ever described a holiday as something you’re glad you did but you won’t do again, then what you’re really saying is that you didn’t like it. This week is…

HAIRY INTERESTING We've all heard of Nutella, the hazelnut and cocoa spread. Delicious, yes! But some folk also claim it can be used to dye hair! A woman in Dubai recently walked into a salon with long, blonde hair - but left with a delicious brunette barnet. Apparently, the heavenly spread transforms hair colour and makes locks super shiny. Sweet! LIFE’S A BEACH Abeachfront property sounds like paradise…but what about living on the beach itself? For 22 years, Marcio Mizael Matolias, from Rio, has done just that. Marcio swapped a high-rent home for a superb sandcastle, complete with ocean view. Guess you could say he's the king of the castle! WELL, I NEIGH-VER! Little Digby will be the UK's first guide horse. His new owner Mohammed Salim Patel had given…