Table of contents for 23-Jul-2020 in Chat

One morning in September 2005, 24-year-old Carolyn Neville dropped her son Bradley, then 6, off at school. She gave him her trademark sweet smile, kissed him goodbye. ‘See you in a couple of hours,’ she smiled, waving as the little boy trotted off to his class. Then she headed home to study while her husband Stephen, then 24, was out at work. All to live for Carolyn, described by her friends as fun and gentle, had only been married for just over a year. The newlyweds were blissfully happy. And now she was studying Political Science at university, hoping to one day carve out a successful career. One thing was for sure, though, she doted on her little family and she had everything going for her. But as she let…

World health Research shows that flowers can have a powerful impact on mental well-being, with 84% of those surveyed claiming that blooms had an overall calming effect on their mood. And 50% said they felt more productive after having flowers displayed in their home office.* Swap and see Suffer from eczema or psoriasis? Try swapping your normal daily moisturiser for Oilatum Light Liquid Paraffin Cream (£9.99, Boots). It is specially developed to treat dry and eczemaprone skin conditions. Handwashing: the facts According to a recent study, only 19% of people wash their hands after using the toilet**, and scientists point out that educating people to practise this is one of the best ways to reduce infections. The same research showed improvements in hand hygiene lead to a 21% reduction in…

The Scots sadist Born in Fraserburgh in 1945, Dennis Nilsen recognised that he had homosexual desires from a young age. However, he was never comfortable with his sexuality. Instead, he began to act on his desire through murder and dismemberment. Nilsen met his first victim, 14-year-old Stephen Holmes, on 30 December 1978 in a London pub. After inviting him home, he strangled the boy with a tie before drowning him in a bucket of water. Nilsen then washed Holmes’ corpse and attempted to have sex with it, before hiding it under the floor of his north London home. He eventually burned and buried the remains in his back garden. Over the next five years, Nilsen went on to murder at least 11 more men and boys. Nilsen would keep corpses hidden…

They don’t know about my partner Q I’m a 63-year-old widow, and met a wonderful man a few months ago, who’s 65 and also widowed. When the government announced lockdown, we decided he’d move in. We hated the thought of being on our own, without each other. Thing is, I never got round to telling my two grown-up children! It’s not a problem yet as they haven’t visited anyway, but I’m worried sick about how they’ll react when they do. Any advice? Susan, 63 A Honesty is the best policy. You shouldn’t be hiding this, especially at your age. Next time you call or FaceTime, gently tell them – they may be relieved you aren’t alone. I wish you well and urge you to tell them soon, before someone else does.…

Doctors said I needed to let my injuries hea ‘You’ll have scars and your face won’t be symmetrical,’ they warned. Friends came to visit, tried to keep my spirits up. After 10 days, doctors took out some of the stitches. Finally, the swelling started to go down. ‘It looks a bit better already,’ I managed to smile to the nurse. She nodded in agreement, and I felt a wave of hope wash over me. Needing something to focus on, I started a journal. And made a list of all the goals I wanted to achieve. I’d finish my physiotherapy training and train as a yoga teacher. ‘I could have died, so now it’s my duty to live my life to the fullest,’ I decided. Ten days after my accident, my…

Melanie Leahy, 55, Maldon Seeing my son Matthew in his new school uniform, I was bursting with pride. In his matching grown-up blazer and tie, I had to remind myself he was still just a boy, only 11. But Matthew had always been ahead of the pack. By three, he could swim laps around me in the local pool. And later, at school, he excelled in all his subjects. I was so proud when he got a place at the local grammar school. And now, I knew he had a bright future ahead of him. As a teenager, Matthew worked as a part-time lifeguard, and continued to get As in all his subjects. ‘I’m so proud of you,’ I said when he picked up his GCSE results. ‘Mum, you’re so…

Chat winners issue 17 (23 April 2020) £1,001 CASH D Chambers, Blackpool £1,000 CASH A Donald, Nairn £500 CASH M Fox, Newcastle; N Woods, Liverpool £250 CASH J Lock, Nuneaton £150 CASH M Angelides, Winchester £100 CASH T Dodsley, Hull; S Bell, Bristol; M Hughes, Yateley; S Grehan, Newport; G Pollard, Liverpool £60 CASH T Draper, Coventry £50 CASH A Scott, Clacton-on-Sea; V Smith, Wick; S Merchan, Matlock £30 CASH PUZZLE 4 NULL & VOID £25 CASH T Gibbs, Kent; S Cook, Hinckley; M Holland, Grantham; G Elgey, Kirkby-in-Ashfield; J Dandy, Burnley; S Swider, Dudley; M Almond, Adlington; E Jennings, Hereford; D Dunford, Blandford Forum E Jennings, Hereford; D Dunford, Blandford Forum EDITOR’S NOTE: While every effort has been made to ensure that the puzzles and answers in Chat are…

Princess Margaret was born in which Scottish castle? The number next to the clue tells you which line the answer’s in. We’ve put a section in to start you off! There may be two Across answers in one line. Down words fill themselves in. The shaded squares spell out the one-word prize puzzle answer. 2 Fertile spot in a desert • Star sign 4 24 hour period • Stand supporting a picture WIN £150 Puzzle 2 6 West Indian dance • Beseech 8 Creature with antlers • Natives of Copenhagen Your answer:…

TROUSERS STYLE TIP Wear these wide-leg trousers with a plain top tucked in to accentuate your waistline. SWIMSUITS STYLE TIP Swimsuits with built-in tummy control panels will help you feel more body confident. TOPS STYLE TIP Switch to wearing a strapless or multiway bra for off-the-shoulder and halterneck tops. DRESSES STYLE TIP Add plimsolls for the day and dress up with statement jewellery and high heels for the evening.…

Is surgery to blame? QI had a vaginal mesh op five years ago, for a prolapse, and now I’m getting some pains. Is it because of the op? Sarah, west London AA prolapse, or dropped womb, can affect the neck of your bladder and lead to loss of urine control. About 25 years ago, surgeons began experimenting with using mesh or tape, usually made from polypropylene plastic, to pull up the bladder neck and restore control. This op seemed to have lots of advantages over older procedures. It was quicker and simpler, with less cutting, and you could often go home the same day. As time went on, however, some women started finding problems after the op, including back or pelvic pains, painful sex, urine and bowel problems and bleeding.…

TWINS ARRESTED East End gangsters Reggie and Ronnie Kray, then 34, and their brother, Charlie, 41, were arrested for conspiracy to murder, fraud, demanding money with menaces and assault on 8 May 1968. After a series of dawn raids that saw more than 100 detectives go into homes and offices across London, the Kray twins were finally arrested at their mother’s flat. A year later, the twins were found guilty of the murder of Jack ‘The Hat’ McVitie and George Cornell and sentenced to life in prison. Ronnie died in 1995; Reggie in 2000. PROTEST FOR PEACE On 17 March 1968, thousands gathered in Trafalgar Square in London to protest against US actions in the Vietnam War. Later that day, the protest spilled over into violence outside the US embassy,…

3 things to… know about checking your credit report Ever wondered how lenders decide whether to give you credit or not? One tool they use is your credit report. So it’s vital you check yours. 1 What are they? In the UK, credit reports are compiled by credit reference agencies. The three main ones are Experian, Equifax and TransUnion (formally Callcredit); each of them holds a report on you, so it’s worth checking all three. Your report will contain information including a list of your credit accounts, plus whether you’ve made repayments on time and in full. Items like missed or late payments will remain on your report for at least six years. 2 It’s free to do MSE Credit Club (moneysavingexpert.com/creditclub) gives you free access to your full Experian…

Aries 21 March-20 April You have an idea for a new business and your personal magnetism impresses an investor, and two other friends who want in. An interesting package arrives. Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May You've been invited to an online party by friends, but you’re not feeling sociable. Devote time to getting your bills in order and sorting household chores. Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Your adventurous spirit leads you to a secret location for exploring. An unexpected call from an old friend has you crying with laughter and making plans to meet. Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July Being so sensitive, you could misinterpret a compliment, but believe it as you are so naturally…

Q I love my eyelash extensions, but since I’ve had them removed my natural lashes are looking short and stubby. Help! Sam Brown, 38 A Don’t panic! It’s a common beauty myth that extensions cause your natural lashes to fall out, but the reality is they just look sparser because you’ve grown used to the fullness and length of falsies. Lashes can appear shorter at different times in your lash cycle too. If you want to take a break from extensions, use a lash serum to nourish your natural lashes and encourage growth. Maybelline The Falsies Lash Mask, £8.99, is great, working to combat damage caused by too much mascara usage and heavy falsies. Boost your lashes further by layering up Max Factor False Lash Effect Max Out Blue Primer,…

WIN £1,001 Puzzle 5 What connects JK Rowling and American composer Lin-Manuel Miranda? To find out, solve the crossword, then read down the shaded squares to find the prize answer. ACROSS 1 _ Springsteen, singer (5) 4 Religious song (4) 6 Old-fashioned, obsolete (8) 13 Louder (7) 14 Growled (7) 15 Royal headdress (5) 16 Reserve of money (4) 17 Ascends (6) 18 Rainbow colour (6) 20 Applaud (4) 21 Ring-shaped coral reef (5) 22 Cold season (6) 25 Southern US state (8) 28 Andy Murray’s sport (6) 30 Go over again (5) 32 See 58 Across 34 Dairy product (6) 35 Be on fire (4) 38 Spanish rice dish (6) 39 Latin American dance (5) 40 Spud (6) 43 Obligation (4) 44 Extremely clever person (6) 45 Learned (8) 48…

Jade Speed, 23, Bridgwater When Autumn was first placed in my arms, I thought she was perfect. It was February 2018, and despite being two weeks early, she weighed a healthy 7lb. Now, all my husband Liam, 21, and I wanted was to bring her home. But before we could do that, the hospital had to carry out the usual checks. I could have stared at Autumn all day, but I soon drifted off to sleep. Then just two hours later, a midwife woke me. ‘We’ve had to take Autumn to the ICU,’ she said. As she wheeled me down to the unit, she explained Autumn had been making strange grunting noises. ‘It sounded like she was struggling to breathe,’ they said. Like me, so many mums don’t know about…

Top tip Harissa is a delicate spice blend that originated in Tunisia and is now commonplace in most North African cuisines. Halloumi with warm couscous The harissa paste brings a unique depth of flavour to this dish SERVES: 4 PREP TIME: 10 MINS COOK TIME: 20 MINS • 2 large courgettes, quartered lengthways and cut into 1.5cm chunks• 2 red onions, cut into thin wedges• 1tbsp olive oil• 250g cherry tomatoes• 200g wholewheat couscous• 275ml hot vegetable stock• Zest and juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange• 250g halloumi, cut into 12 slices• 2tsp harissa paste, mixed with 2tbsp water• Small bunch of fresh mint, finely chopped• 30g toasted pumpkin seeds 1 Preheat oven to 230C/Gas 8. Put the courgettes and onions on a large baking tray, drizzle with 2tsp…

Anthony BBC1 This one-off drama, written by Jimmy McGovern, tells the story of the life that 18-year-old Anthony Walker could have lived had he not been murdered in a racist attack in Merseyside in 2005. Rakie Ayola plays Anthony’s mum Gee Walker. Toheeb Jimoh is Anthony. Between the Covers BBC2 Sara Cox hosts a new, six-part book club which will celebrate the joy of reading. Each week she’ll be joined by four famous faces, who’ll discuss their favourite-ever book, as well as a chosen book of the week. It should give us all a few literary ideas – but will anyone choose a Jackie Collins…? The Secret Life of the Waterhole BBC2 This unique nature series will be presented by Chris Packham and Ella Al-Shamahi. We will watch the creation…

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