Table of contents for 10-Nov-2016 in Chat

It’s over. Now I’m trying to move on with my life Knowing that monster had hurt my precious little sister Lucy as well as me, I desperately wanted to get Green punished. But going over everything wasn’t easy. Even after Lucy and I had given statements to the police, we couldn’t bear to talk to each other about what had happened to us. It was simply all too much for us. But thankfully, Green was arrested. And, finally, in April this year, at Worcester Crown Court, Philip Green, 63, admitted four specimen charges of rape, indecent assault, sexual assault and causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. Such evil. The court was also informed that Green had been convicted in 2013 for similar offences. We…

Harry Ramsden's Mushy Peas, 300g, 50p Traditionally accompanying fish and chips, these are very mushy indeed. They have a good flavour and a nice green colour without looking too false. Batchelors Original Mushy Peas, 300g, 50p So green you might well be able to see these from outer space, but we forgive them because they taste really good! Sainsbury's British Mushy Peas Chip Shop Style, 300g, 40p This is a mixture of whole peas and squidged ones - and all had a great pea flavour. What more can you ask of mushy peas? NEW Shreddies MAX Protein, £2.50 This new granola combines the malty taste of Shreddies with oats. Whole grain, it's high in fibre, low in saturated fat.…

I didn’t know anything about being transgender I want to help others go through what we have By Fiona Bosanquet, 47, from Middleton-in-Teesdale I first met Stephen in April 1987, after my cousin set us up on a blind date. We’d gone to a pub and, although he was shy and quiet, we immediately hit it off. Within weeks, we were talking about the future… ‘I want to get married and have a family,’ I said, and he wanted the same. Within four months, we were engaged – and, in August 1988, we had a small wedding in front of friends and family. We were happiest when we were doing things together, like going on spontaneous camping weekends or snuggled up watching telly. In time, we went on to…

God save the Queen? I wasn't surprised to learn that the Queen is expected to live to be 100 years old. That's according to her doctors, but then, she has the best medical team money can buy. I'm sure any health problems she has, however minor, are sorted out immediately. The rest of us have to wait in long NHS queues to get our ailments seen to! Stephanie Thomas, Denbigh Cat tale The story of Moon Unit the cat ( From Purris with love! , 6 October issue) is amazing – it’s still a mystery how she ended up in Paris, eight years after disappearing. Thank heaven for microchips – it’s made me realise I should have my cat microchipped. I’d hate to lose her! Jeena Sumner, north London Matter…

1 Go Christmas shopping Munich's oldest Christmas market is held in the Marienplatz in the heart of the city from 25 November daily until Christmas Eve. It's a great way to get into the festive spirit. 2 Have a beer! Guzzle a beer or two and go pretzel shopping at the Hofbrauhaus, the world's most celebrated beer hall. The drinks are served by waitresses in traditional costume and the beers come in halters (which can be pretty heavy). All this and traditional Bavarian music! 3 Explore the Olympiapark Built for the 1972 Olympic Games, it's now a complex holding concerts, festivals and sporting events. Book yourself on a 90-minute guided tour to find out more about the Olympiastadion, the former home of Bayern Munich FC. 4 Take a stroll… in…

What I loved A hot-from-the-oven mini mince pie (OK, OK, so I had two...) and a good, hot cuppa. Bliss on a dreary Monday! What hacked me off Finding my Christmas fairy lights are in a terminal tangle. Eeek! They may have to be binned this year… What made me laugh Hearing that cod may have regional accents! Less amusing is that the dosh for research is coming from tax-payers… It's beginning to stink, just a bit! Hope there's nothing fishy about your week!…

Tummy pains Q I suffer stomach pains after I eat, and my GP diagnosed Helicobacter. Will the pills she's given me really cure it? Mel, 39 A Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that thrives in stomach acid and is a cause of indigestion and ulcers. Testing for it involves a sample of poo or breath. Antibiotics and acid-reducing tablets should get rid of it, though there's a small chance it could return. Annoying cold Q I've read that zinc supplements help fight colds. Is it true? Femi, 42 A Studies have suggested zinc might shorten a cold by an average of one day, although it doesn't ease cold symptoms. But many doctors don't agree, and point to zinc's nasty side-effects, including nausea and a bad taste. Up to you -…

A scan soon revealed the full extent of my injury By Sarah Horsman, 27, from York Chatting with mates over a few glasses of wine, I checked my watch. ‘I’d best get going soon,’ I said. It was July last year and, although it was only 10pm, I wanted to get home to my partner Paul, 31, and our two kids Riley, 3, and Jaiden, 2. It’d been both mine and my mate’s birthdays the month before, so we’d agreed to have a rare night out together. She’d brought one of her pals along, too. It was so good to catch up. But now my bed was calling. ‘Let’s get some chips on the way home,’ I suggested. It was tradition to end our girly nights with a takeaway. So,…

I realised I’d actually won the progressive jackpot... We set off with the kids for the summer of a lifetime By Margaret Underwood, 46, from Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancs Flopping down on the sofa next to my partner Andrew, 45, I turned my attention to the TV. ‘What you watching?’ I asked. A fishing programme… Andrew’s favourite, but not really my cup of tea! Our son, 8, and daughter, 6, were tucked up in bed, so I decided to enjoy a few games on Chat Mag Bingo. I’d only recently joined in July after hearing friends rave about how good it was. Already a fan of online bingo, I’d decided to give it a go, and it was soon a favourite. There were so many games to play, and the chat rooms…

The instant I got home, I whipped off my top to show Dave By Linda Bright, 68, from Felixstowe Me and my boobs have been through a lot. Two pregnancies, breastfeeding, stretchmarks... As I got older, I attended routine mammograms and regularly checked for lumps. Then, in August 2011, lying in bed one night, my right hand brushed my left armpit. There was a walnut-sized lump near my breast. Hoping it’d go away, I ignored it until, 10 days on, I showed my hubby Dave, then 66. ‘See the doctor,’ he said. My GP suspected it was a swollen gland, and said to come back if it didn’t go down. Six weeks on, it was still there, so I was referred to Ipswich Hospital. There, I had a mammogram…

Our family and friends were so excited for us By Liz McDowell, 62, from Greenock Football crazy, bowling mad… That pretty much summed up Stephen, 58. I worked behind the bar at a local bowling club and Stephen was a regular. We’d become good friends over the years. At 6ft, he towered over my 4ft 11in frame. There was something about Stephen I really liked. Kind and caring, he was a lovely man. Then, in October 2014, we got chatting at the club. ‘Let me take you out,’ he said. I’d been widowed years before, and my boys Andrew, 36, and Jamie, 26, were all grown up. I thought it’d be nice to have some company, so I agreed. When Stephen took me for dinner, we chatted all night. There…

By Fabia Cerra, 42, from Oxford Walking into the dance studio, my heart was racing. What on earth was I thinking, coming here? A while back, I’d seen a show on the telly about a group of stressed-out nurses who let off steam by taking up saucy burlesque dancing. ‘That looks fun,’ I’d said to my partner Douglas, 40. I’d been a dancer as a kid, and won tons of disco competitions. But I’d lost the passion for it after a group of older girls started picking on me about my hobby. I stopped dancing and competing entirely. And a lot had changed since those days... At 35 years old, I was a mum to Leone, who suffers from autism, and my weight had crept up to 22st. Hardly a…

Aries 21 March - 20 April You can see a big confrontation coming up. You get your arguments and answers ready, check you know your rights...and at the last minute, the problem disappears. You won’t have to prove your case after all. Phew. Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April - 21 May There are foods you don’t like when you’re little, but when you try them again as an adult, they’re fine. So it is now with a problem from the past. You’ve spent years avoiding it, but give it another go. You’ve nothing to fear. Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May - 21 June An offer to help with your finances sounds like just what you need, and in the short term, it…

I flew off my bike, knew then that I was paralysed By Amanda Worne, 45, from Yapton, West Sussex n a minute, I’ll be dead. Or maybe it’ll take 10 minutes. Maybe 30. But this is it… I took a deep breath and tried to ignore the white-hot pain in my lungs. I got ready to say goodbye… but suddenly knew I couldn’t. There was no way I could say farewell to my kids Megan, 18, Jacob, 17, Amelia, 14, Joseph, 12, and their dad – my husband – Vic, 44. You’re a silly girl to even think of giving up, I told myself. Come on, fight! It was Sunday 9 August last year and I’d just had a terrible accident. Just a few minutes before, I’d…

At my darkest moment, I tried to take my own life By Shona, 23, from Worcestershire I’d first met Philip Green – or Greener as I’d called him – when he was lodging at my grandad’s house. I was 6 or 7 at the time, and he seemed friendly, nice – always took an interest in me. ‘You can watch Sky television in my room if you like,’ he often said when we popped round. I jumped at the chance! We didn’t have it at home, and it meant I could watch re-runs of my beloved Danger Mouse. Gradually, Greener grew friendlier with my mum Linda, now 49, and he’d often treat me to sweets. ‘I got this for you,’ he’d say, handing over a bar of my favourite Galaxy…

 By Michelle Hartley, 32, from Folkestone Sam had more scans than most of us have in a lifetime We saw she had a scar stretching right across her head Every time a nurse took her blood, or a doctor examined her, or a radiologist got her ready for a scan, our Sam’s eyes opened wide. Like she was pleading with me. Please, Mummy, no more! It broke my heart. ‘Be brave, sweetheart,’ I’d tell her. ‘It’ll be over soon.’ But I could only hope she’d understand. Samantha was just 5 months. Since she’d been born, she’d had more tests, examinations and scans than most of us have in a lifetime. When Sam was born, doctors thought her head was a slight triangle shape because it had moulded like that while…

I was on thePill and it was over 99 per cent effective Our baby wasn’t due for months – it was too early By Charlotte Stevenson, 24, from Barnsley My tummy ached as I reached for another chocolate biscuit. ‘I’m starving!’ I moaned to my boyfriend Oliver Hampshire, 22. I’d already eaten my dinner. So I scoffed a few biscuits and a packet of crisps to keep my hunger pangs at bay. But my tummy still groaned. It had been happening quite a lot recently. I just couldn’t seem to satisfy my hunger. A week on, last June, I had an appointment with my GP. I was on the mini Pill and needed a repeat prescription. The doctor checked my blood pressure as routine. And when he asked me how…

Graham and I couldn’t be sure Elliott would get better By Sandra Heap, 48, from Southport As my son Elliott, then 7, trudged out of school, I knew something was up. ‘My arms hurt,’ he said. His skin looked grey and he had a high temperature. I took him to see our GP, but it was dismissed as a virus. Days on, in February 2013, me and my husband Graham, 52, took Elliott to the cinema. But when the lights came on at the end of the film, I was shocked to see Elliott’s lips had swollen. They were bright, blood-red, too, and so was his tongue. I thought he might’ve had an allergic reaction to something. Our GP said it looked like scarlet fever. ‘Bring him back if he…

Superdrug Active Haircare Leave-In Conditioner, £2.99, Superdrug Nourishes your hair while tackling pesky fly-aways! Top tip: Keep in your gym bag to use after you hit the showers. OGX O2 Weightless Oil + Lifting Tonic, £7.35, Boots Designed to boost limp locks - this is part moisturising oil and part volumising spray! Top tip: Can be used on either wet or dry tresses. Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Leave-in Conditioner, £4.99, Superdrug Brings thirsty, colour- and heat-damaged hair back to life. Top tip: Use after usual conditioner for a boost of moisture. TRESemme Oleo Radiance Bi-Phase Conditioning Mist, £6.99, Boots Blended with oils to detangle and add shine. Top tip: Spritz sparingly - a little goes a long way!…

Our poor moggy’s kidney was six times its normal size… By Danielle Evans, 35, from Newcastle Our tabby Milly was stretched right out in her favourite spot in front of the fire. Nothing unusual there – she could always be found catnapping in a warm spot. But as I was stroking her, I gasped. ‘What on earth is this?’ I said to my hubby Philip, 35. The bulge on Milly’s tummy had become hard, and seemed swollen. It wasn’t the first time I’d noticed her podge, though. When we’d adopted her and our other cat Squidgy from a rescue centre back in October 2012, Milly was all skin and bone. But, even then, she’d had a bit of a droopy tummy. Over the past few years, Milly settled in with…

1 Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 4. In a large lidded pan, heat 2tsp olive oil and gently fry a large chopped onion for 3-4 min. Add 2 crushed cloves of garlic and cook for 1 min. Stir in a finely diced carrot, 2 x 400g drained cans of green lentils, 200ml vegetable stock, a 400g can of chopped tomatoes, 1tbsp tomato puree, 2tsp cinnamon, 1tsp dried oregano and a bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. 2 Bring to the boil, then turn down heat and simmer, lid on, for 30 min. Remove lid and simmer for 10 min until juices have reduced to a thick sauce. 3 Preheat grill. Slice two aubergines and brush with a mixture of 1tbsp each of olive and lemon juice. Brown on both sides…

Did he stage his own death and flee the country? There are pictures with her dog, pictures from a camping trip with her boyfriend, even a picture of an avocado sandwich she had for lunch once. Her 786,000 followers on Instagram love all the details of Paris-Michael K Jackson’s day-to-day life. But one picture she uploaded in September this year created more interest than all the others put together. It was a selfie of Paris in the front seat of her car. Behind her in the passenger seat appeared to be a man who looked very much like her dad, King Of Pop, Michael Jackson… who’s been dead for over seven years. Immediately, Paris’ followers started to comment on the photo. OMG is that Michael in the back? one posted.…

Apparently, Quinn had a history of self-harm and suicide attempts THE CRIME On the morning of 22 July 2013, Cherie Vize, 25, was stabbed in the neck in a front garden in Wollongong, Australia. Her attacker then turned the knife on himself, causing injuries that left him quadriplegic. But who was he, and what was his motive? THE STORY Everyone has a talent for something and, for Cherie Vize, that talent was Art. She’d earned herself a place at Art school and was determined to become a professional artist. Described as a peaceful person, she also had her head screwed on, setting up her own tutoring business. And, in 2010, she got together with Michael James Quinn. Some described Quinn as an ‘insecure’ boyfriend. Constantly phoning Cherie, monitoring her phone…

FEELING TEXT-Y Seems checking out the latest goings-on on social media, or replying to a text, is more important than a romp in the sack! One in four Brits has admitted to interrupting sex to look at their phone. The poll of 2,000 people, conducted by O2, also found that 27 per cent had mistakenly sent racy texts to work colleagues - or even their parents. Cringe! TIDY UP? HOP TO IT Got clutter? The Japanese have the answer! Bunny cloths transform your random junk into a cute little rabbit in seconds. The bags are inspired by the traditional furoshiki, a Japanese wrapping cloth used to transport goods like clothes and gifts. Can we burrow one..? BENCH IM-PRESS Some designers really do create a benchmark for others to follow! You've…