Table of contents for 16-Sep-2021 in Chat

During the lockdown, lots of us got screen fatigue. We celebrated birthdays, had family quizzes and some even did Christmas dinner over our computers. But Verné and her new hubby went one step further – they got married over Zoom! Find out how that all worked on p19. When Joanne’s son needed saving from a world of silence, it was a pal with a wet nose and waggy tail who trotted in and helped. And let’s say things have really developed from there (p30)! And discover how a mother’s fierce love snared her daughter’s killer (p54). With prizes, puzzles, food, fashion and fun, there’s loads to get stuck into. Stay safe and well this week.…

TOPS STYLE TIP Elevate your jeans and take any look from day to night in a classic leopard, statement SKIRTS STYLE TIP A flattering midi skirt is great for in-between seasons. Tuck in a tee and add trainers or wear with boots and a knit. SHOES STYLE TIP An easy way to add some style prowess to a simple outfit, step into the trend with patterned shoes. DRESSES STYLE TIP Whether you opt for classic monochrome or bright colours, keep accessories minimal and embrace your wild side.…

Cristhian Bahena Rivera, 27, was unanimously found guilty of first-degree murder. After the verdict, prosecution lawyer Scott Brown praised Mollie’s innocent boyfriend Dalton Jack for the way he handled himself on the stand, as the defence ‘raked him over the coals’ during the murder trial. Then, in a bizarre turn, before Rivera could be sentenced, his defence team claimed new evidence had emerged that Mollie’s death could in fact be connected to a sex-trafficking ring. Defence lawyer Chad Frese said two new witnesses had come forward, both claiming another man, a current prison inmate, had confessed to the murder. The new evidence, the defence said, corroborated Rivera’s ‘masked men’ version of events. Yet, after a hearing, Judge Joel Yates threw out the defence’s request to set aside the guilty verdict…

Get the needle Acupuncture can ease back pain more than conventional treatment, US research suggests. The traditional Chinese therapy, in which fine needles are inserted into specific points, is approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for chronic lower back pain. Acupressure – massage rather than needles – can also help. For a stiff neck, acupuncturist Roger Dalet recommends massaging the dips at the back of your head below your skull. Work that core It may be your back that’s sore, but it’s the core muscles in your abdomen, thighs and buttocks you need to work on. ‘They support your back,’ says Janet Wakley, author of The Smart Guide To Back Care (£14.99, Hammersmith Health). ‘The muscles of the back itself just keep you upright.’ Unfortunately, sitting…

Dundee cake was first made for Mary Queen of Scots. She allegedly didn’t like cherries, traditional in fruit cakes, so bakers made a cake using almonds. However, many recipes do include cherries! Born in March 1971 in Perth, Trainspotting and Star Wars star Ewan McGregor was raised in Crieff, going on to become an acting legend. Dundee’s Victoria and Albert Museum is not only Scotland’s first design museum, but the first V&A Museum outside London. It cost £80.1 million and opened in September 2018.…

FILL ME IN Presenter Richard Osman, actor Margot Robbie and Hugh Grant all support which football club? Solve the puzzle by following the arrows and writing in your answers. Then read down the letters in the shaded squares to find the prize answer. WIN £100 Puzzle 14 Your answer: CIRCLE TIME Which is the largest German state by area? Fit the words into the grid, then read down the letters in the shaded circles to find the prize answer. 3 letters ARC BAR BIB BOA BUT LIE TOP TUB TUG 4 letters JIVE SCAR STAR TUTU VAST VERB 5 letters BEGIN CONGA EXTRA RAISE 6 letters EXCITE OBJECT OUTLET PHOBIA 7 letters ALGEBRA GRIMACE WIN £100 Puzzle 15 Your answer TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit…

As my lecturer began packing away, I crammed my pens and textbooks into my rucksack. ‘See you later,’ I smiled, waving goodbye to my classmates. Making my way through the Pontypridd campus, back to the house I shared with my five lovely housemates, I couldn’t stop grinning. It was September 2020, I’d just returned to the University of South Wales for my final year. And it was good to be back. I was an IT student, loved my degree. Dreamt of working in web development after I’d graduated. With it being my third year, there was less student partying. More hours working tirelessly in the library and my bedroom. But, needing a break one night that November, I met a mate at a local pub. ‘How’s third year?’ he asked.…

Garnier Moisture Bomb Hydrating Tissue Mask, £2.99, Boots This is a tall drink of water for dull-looking skin. One 15-minute session drenches skin with a week’s worth of hydrating serum for smoother, softer skin. Nivea Q10 Power Sleeping Melt-In Anti-Ageing Face Mask, £11.99 Smear on a layer before bedtime and wake up to brighter, bouncier skin. It stimulates collagen production so over time skin feels firmer. The instant result, though, is glowy skin. PS...Pink Clay Pore Refining Facial Mask, 80p, Primark A clay mask makes pores appear smaller by extracting excess oil, dirt and debris. This one is amazing at refining pores, without making skin feel dryer than sandpaper.…

Moments after bullets ripped through their rear windscreen, Justin Theobald, then 28, is seen on CCTV, pulling his sister Crystal, 24, from the passenger seat. Cradling her dying body on the ground. She’d been shot in the back of her head. ‘I just want to know why, you know? Why?’ he weeps in the harrowing opening scenes of Why Did You Kill Me? And that’s a question his mother, Belinda Lane, who’d witnessed the shooting, was determined to answer. The family were heading to the local supermarket at around 8.40pm on 24 February 2006. Belinda in the car in front, and Justin, Crystal and her boyfriend Juan Patlan behind. But they’d barely made it to the end of their street in Riverside, California, when a white Ford Expedition pulled up…

My lovely daughter Lauren, 27, treated me to tea at The Ritz for my 61st in June. I was over the moon as it’s always been on my bucket list and we had a great time. Tina Saunders, Crowborough My favourite furry apprentice Rita, who thought she was doing a good deed by holding the ladders still while I was decorating my daughter’s room. Sweet! Julie Mckay, Redditch Little surfer Milo, 6, loved his summer holidays and the chance to enjoy the waves in Cornwall. It was so lovely to get out and about. Leona Heckman, Trefnant I spent hours making this cake to celebrate our wonderful midwives and raise some money to lift spirits during the pandemic. Louise Milne, Worthing I love this photo of my 7-week-old daughter Penny-Rose…

What does British journalist and presenter Emma Barnett say is her most unappealing habit? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the three-word prize answer. ACROSS 11 Wellbeing (6) 12 Dutch capital (9) 13 State of mind (4) 14 Permitting (8) 15 Delete (5) 16 Cream-filled pastry (6) 17 Kings and queens (7) 18 Made shorter (11) 20 Be smug (5) 22 Definitely (9) 24 Baking ingredient (5) 28 Remaining (7) 29 Brings together (7) 32 Plot (6) 34 Kitchen cloth (3,5) 36 Green vegetable (8) 37 Let out a breath (6) 39 Plant found at the beach (7) 40 Pesticide-free (7) 45 Adversary (5) 47 Eight-sided (9) 48 Fashion sense (5) 51 Novel and film, To Kill a _ (11) 53 Absence…

Verne Bingham, 39, Lowestoft Scrolling through Facebook, I saw a message from my old mate Chilton, and grinned. Hey, it’s been a long time! I’d first met Chilton, then 41, through friends in 2002, when I was 20 and living in Durban, South Africa. He’d always been friendly, funny – but we’d lost touch when I moved to the UK. Now, in December 2019, as I replied to his message, he was still easy to talk to. The more we spoke, the more I liked him, and not just as a mate. ‘Is it sensible?’ I asked friends. ‘We’re so far apart!’ ‘Go for it,’ they urged. So, two months later, in February 2020, I flew to South Africa to visit. On our first date, Chilton picked me up for…

I hate to be given hugs! Q I’m still wary of hugging people since lockdown... Are hugs risky or am I just being silly? Shirleen, Glasgow A lt’s a tricky one! Many people missed their hugs during lockdown and there is evidence that hugging makes us feel more connected, improves mood and could even provide a boost to the immune system. But there’s also the risk of infection and many of us have changed our hugging and kissing behaviour, some possibly for good. But like other aspects of coping with COVID-19, it’s about common sense and assessing risk. Think twice before hugging anyone who is unwell or vulnerable to COVID-19. Minimise risk by restricting hugs to family and friends, and, if possible, hug outdoors. Look away from each other and…

ARROW WORD The Hamilton Honey Badgers, London Lightning and Windsor Express are all basketball teams based in which province of Canada? Solve the puzzle by following the arrows and writing in your answers. Then read down the letters in the shaded squares to find the prize answer. WIN £1,000 Puzzle 10 Your answer: SUDOKU To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Solve the puzzle and the numbers in the highlighted squares will give you the prize puzzle answer. WIN £60 Puzzle 11 Your answer: WORDSEARCH Which of these Mr Men characters is known as Don Pupas in Spanish? The answer is the one missing from the grid. BUMP DIZZY GREEDY HAPPY JELLY LAZY MESSY MUDDLE NOSEY…

Tennis titan Esther Vergeer had suffered a haemorrhage and stroke due to a spinal-cord abnormality when an op, aged 8, left her paralysed from the waist down. She felt ‘moody and sad’ but her parents told her to ‘make the best of it’. So, Esther took up sport... She became the most dominant tennis player ever, winning every Grand Slam she entered. The Dutch star won seven Paralympic golds – four singles and three doubles – before retiring in 2013, aged 32, making her the Guinness World Record holder for Most Paralympic Wheelchair Titles Won. The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, officially opened the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Curl power Sonja Gaudet was the first wheelchair athlete inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame. A horse-riding accident,…

I feel like a bad daughter Q I’ve had to give up work to care for my mother, who has cancer. I used to work full-time and lived alone. My social life was buzzing, but everything stopped when I moved back in with Mum. I help her with stuff like her wheelchair, do her errands and make sure she has everything. I sometimes wonder, why me? but I know why – I’m an only child. I try not to get upset, but sometimes I can’t help it, which in turn upsets Mum. I no longer see my friends and I’m so lonely. I feel like the worst daughter ever. Please can you help me? Mandi, 26 A Firstly, do not feel guilty! You wouldn’t feel like this if you didn’t…

Charlotte Twinley, 23, Arundel, West Sussex Scoffing Coco Pops before school, I felt a wave of pain across my stomach and winced. ‘Again?’ my mum Sarah, then 41, frowned. I nodded. It was summer 2012, and I’d had the pains for years. By now, Mum and my dad David, then 46, had tried everything. But the gluten- or dairy-free diets the doctors suggested didn’t help. I still loved food, and at 14, was active. Played on my school hockey team. Only, my pains got worse. I became constipated, spending agonising hours in the bathroom. I’d be late for school, or suddenly need the loo during lessons. ‘You can’t need to go again,’ one teacher classmates laughed. Tummy churning, I’d somehow make it through my hockey matches. But blood tests revealed…

Nuddy Ultra Volume Shampoo Bar, £8.95, nuddy.co.uk Did you know that we throw away 520 million shampoo bottles every year in the UK? That’s a lot of plastic. Make the switch to a solid shampoo bar, which will last you twice as long. This one comes in recyclable packaging, smells delightful and is chock-full of nourishing ingredients. Vaseline Expert Care Elasticity Restore, £7.99 If you suffer with clinically dry, itchy, sensitive skin, this body cream will be a tonic. Prescription-strength moisturisers are cocktailed with collagen to soften, smooth and repair dry skin. It’s quick to absorb, too, which is another win. Avon Anew Renewal Power Serum, £16, avon.uk.com Want smoother, more glowing skin in just 7 days? Of course you do. This breakthrough serum is a game-changer, using patented Protinol…

• Crystal’s boyfriend Juan, then 20, was shot in the stomach during the shooting, but survived after surgery. • Belinda didn’t give up her cyber-sleuthing, moving from Myspace onto the more modern Facebook. In 2014, she received the tip that Sotelo was in Mexico, and forwarded it to the police, who worked with the FBI and Mexican authorities to arrest him. • 10 other 5150 gang members were charged in the case, with counts from witness intimidation to attempted murder and gun and gang charges. Their sentences ranged from probation to 18 years behind bars. • During Sotelo’s sentencing, Belinda made an impassioned 16-minute speech, calling him ‘despicable’, a ‘coward’, a ‘monster’ and a ‘punk’. • According to Belinda, Crystal’s heart, lungs and kidneys were donated after her death and…

Dear Oliver, I remember how happy me and your mum Cathrine, then 23, felt that day in December 2016. ‘It’ a boy,’ the sonographer said at your 20-week scan. Only, then she fell silent. ‘Something’s wrong with his kidneys,’ she said. Our happy bubble burst. Referred to Birmingham Women’s Hospital, we were beside ourselves. Doctors said you had chronic kidney disease. Renal failure. There wasn’t enough amniotic fluid in Mummy’s tummy, either. There was a risk you’d arrive early and have underdeveloped organs. Or worse. We’d only know for sure once you’d arrived. We vowed not to give up on you. Instead, Mummy took early maternity leave from her chef job, to rest. Anxious months passed until you arrived in April 2017, at 39 weeks. Midwives whisked you straight off.…

Gabbie Turner, 27, Bridgend Turning at the bar, I bumped into a gorgeous bloke and felt my cheeks redden at his dazzling smile. ‘I’m Ahmed,’ he grinned. It was May 2016 and, aged 22, I’d jetted off to Egypt for the summer. I’d worked there as a holiday entertainer a year earlier and couldn’t wait to get back out to the beautiful beaches and lively bars for another season. Giving Ahmed, then 26, the once-over, I liked what I saw. Toned bod and sexy dreadlocks, big brown eyes, a smattering of facial hair. Only, he was surrounded by a gaggle of girls. ‘Do you want to come to a party?’ he smiled. I shrugged, could tell Ahmed was a flirt and didn’t want him to think I was too keen.…

Ruth Holroyd, 48, Chalfont, Bucks Pushing away a salad scattered with peanuts, I anxiously looked up at the brusque dinner lady who was looming over me. ‘But...I can’t eat nuts,’ I stammered nervously. Undeterred, she told me to eat it anyway. Just minutes later, I projectile vomited all over her leather slip-ons. I was only 7, and hated being different at school. I’d told the school lunch ladies that I suffered from food allergies. But it was always met with an eye roll. It was the 80s, and little was known about allergies. So, instead, I was labelled a fussy eater, forced to finish my food. My mum Jan, then 34, had taken me to the doctors, but even they couldn’t offer much advice, so I just avoided nuts. My…

Rivera on trial: Said he’d blacked out Mollie Tibbetts, 20, laced up her trainers for her evening run, as usual. The bubbly University of Iowa student ran almost every day around the streets of Brooklyn, Iowa. Even when staying at her boyfriend Dalton Jack’s home on the edge of the city. She and Dalton had met at a school football match in 2015, and adored each other. And on 18 July 2018, he’d asked her to dog-sit while he was away for his construction job. Around 7pm, after strapping on her Fitbit smartwatch, Mollie sent Dalton a selfie via Snapchat, and then headed out in her running gear. But Dalton never heard from Mollie again. The next morning, Dalton’s messages to his girlfriend went unanswered. And when Mollie’s coworker got…

True-life PATIENT CASEBOOK Rosie Court, 25, Northumberland Fastening up the top button of my shirt, I leant closer to the mirror to inspect my neck. ‘That should do,’ I nodded, satisfied there were no red patches. Early 2017 and, age 21, I was off on a rare night out with some uni pals. But with an aggravated case of eczema covering my neck, I was desperately trying to cover it up. I’d suffered with the skin condition since I was little. The red blotches covered the backs of my knees and elbows. Benign, it never bothered me at school. But in 2014, I went to Manchester University to study Economics. The work was stressful and student boozing and poor diet took their toll. The red patches grew in size, began…

OVER TO YOU Can you set a puzzle in this format? Send it, with a photo of yourself, to the address on p3. There’s £20 for every one we use! This week’s puzzle was compiled by Elaine Cherry, Reading ACROSS 1 Use your teeth 2 Reflected sound 3 Something borrowed 4 Termites DOWN 1 Dracula actor, _ Lugosi 2 Graphic symbol 3 To such a degree 4 A long, long time WIN 5x £25 Puzzle 6 Your answer: CHAIN WORDS Llanberis, in North Wales, has a museum dedicated to what material? Get from Start to Finish, making words by joining two boxes together as you go, eg: PL + ANK, ANK +... you decide! When you reach Finish, two unused boxes join together to give you the prize answer. WIN £100…

SERIAL SEX PEST Perth pervert Robert Basterfield was handed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order twice, in 2007 and 2019, after stalking women and showing them indecent images of his genitals. It banned him sending indecent communication, and being alone with a female. But Basterfield breached the order in April 2020 when, while serving time for another crime, he showed drawings of male genitalia to two women working in the prison. Although handed a 13-month sentence and deemed a danger to women, Basterfield, 49, walked free, having already served the required sentence. DRINK-DRIVING DOCTOR When retired GP Elizabeth Crabbie, 68, was caught drinkdriving – over twice the legal limit – in Comrie in July 2014, she was given a ban of nine years. But it wasn’t the first time Crabbie had…

Brittany Jacobs always knew something wasn’t right down below. Painful, twice-monthly periods, excessive bleeding. Even so, she still got the shock of her life while she was giving birth to her first child Zachary. ‘Oh, honey!’ exclaimed the nurse in the delivery suite. ‘You have two vaginas!’ Brittany had been born with a condition called uterine didelphys, and for an incredible 25 years, it’d gone unnoticed. She says, ‘I was born with two cervices, two uteruses and two vaginas. ‘Some of the signs and symptoms I had were painful periods. ‘They were really irregular, and I’d get them twice a month.’ The rare genetic condition means the reproductive organs are separated by a septum, and it can cause issues with fertility and gestation. Brittany says, ‘I did notice I had…

It was when I was at my lowest that I did some research and came across stoma bags. Some people with similar problems to mine have an operation called an ileostomy, where the small intestine is diverted through an opening in the tummy. A pouch, called a stoma bag, is placed over the opening to collect the poo. No more hours sat on the loo! I thought. I’ll be able to eat normal food! I knew I needed this. But when I told Mum and Dad, they were sceptical. ‘You might feel self conscious,’ Mum worried. ‘It will be there for everyone to see,’ Dad added. Sure, carrying around a bag of poo wasn’t ideal... ‘But it might give me the freedom I need,’ I insisted. I spoke to Phil,…

Prawn tagliatelle This is a speedy supper so you’ll need all your ingredients ready to go. SERVES 3-4 PREP TIME 5 MINS COOK TIME 10 MINS • 100g tagliatelle • 3tbsp olive oil • 2 garlic cloves, crushed • 1 large red chilli, finely chopped • 300g raw king prawns • 250g spiralised courgettes • Large handful rocket • Fresh basil, to serve 1 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the tagliatelle. 2 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan or wok. Add the garlic and chilli, fry for a few mins then add the prawns and a good sprinkling of sea salt. Stir-fry until the prawns are cooked. 3 When the pasta is almost ready, add the courgettes for a min. Drain,…

Aries 21 March-20 April You may be feeling active, which could inspire you to explore around your home. The moon in Aquarius gives you the opportunity to reinvent yourself. • Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May You are extremely busy, but have a way of healing yourself, knowing when to relax and rest. Others around you want to know the secret to your serenity. • Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Imaginative and adaptable, you are always looking for a good deal. Be it two-for-one offers or a meal out with a friend, people admire your money-saving ethos. • Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July With Saturn currently in retrograde, you might be feeling emotionally inhibited. This won’t…

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