Table of contents for 04-Feb-2016 in Chat

By chance, his football injury had brought the tumour to our attention My son Dylan, 13, has always loved football. Every Sunday, he’d play with his mates – with me cheering at the sideline! Then, one weekend in April 2014, he went to stay with his dad Gary, 42. When he came home, Gary explained Dylan had hurt his left foot during a game. ‘A player tackled him and clipped it,’ he said. Poor Dylan’s foot was bruised and, weeks later, it was still no better. So I took him to see our GP. He referred him for an X-ray and doctors said it was a fracture. ‘It’ll heal, just give it time,’ we were told. Then, in July someone accidently stood on Dylan’s foot during another football match. ‘It…

Cancer fears Q I sent off a poo sample for a cancer test and now they need to look up my bottom with a camera. Why? Sylvia, 62 A If you're 60 to 74, the NHS offers to test a poo sample for traces of blood every two years. If positive, you'll need a colonoscopy, a camera test. Even then, 90 per cent of people don't have cancer. And even if you do, it's possible to cure it when spotted early. Cracked hands Q The cold weather makes my hand rough and crack, even if I stay in the warm. Lydia, 31 A It's a form of eczema, dry inflamed skin. Cold weather is a trigger, made worse by the drying effect of indoor heating. Wear gloves when outdoors, use…

Barilla Arrabbiata Tomato & Chilli, 400g, £1.95, Morrisons A nice, chunky sauce that stuck to the pasta perfectly, and it had a good, but not overpowering hit of heat. Dolmio Bolognese Intense Spicy Chilli, 500g, £1.73 Big chunks of tomato in an otherwise fairly smooth sauce - but if you don't like chilli heat, you really won't enjoy this! Ragu Bolognese Sauce Chilli Chunky, 375g, £1 This thick sauce coats pasta well, and with nice big tomato chunks, it has a fresh, mild chilli flavour. Hi-PRO Peanut Butter, £2.99, Sainsbury's Smooth or crunchy, both contain more than 25% extra protein than other peanut butters. Use in smoothies, shakes and snacks.…

Serves: 4 Prep: 15 min Cook: 20 min 425g can pineapple chunks in natural juice 2tbsp cornflour 3tbsp milk 2 medium bananas 3 large eggs, separated 40g Tate & Lyle White Sugar with Stevia Blend 1 Preheat oven to 180C/ Gas 4. 2 Tip pineapple and most of juice into a saucepan. Blend cornflour with remaining juice and add to pan. Heat gently, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in milk. 3 Slice bananas and stir into mixture, then stir in egg yolks and half sugar blend. Divide mixture between 4 individual baking dishes or large ramekins, and bake for 10-12 min. 4 Meanwhile, whisk egg whites until they hold their shape. Whisk in remaining sugar blend, mix until glossy, and then pile on top of baked…

1 Melt 1tbsp butter in a large frying pan and cook 400g chopped button mushrooms for about 5-6 min. Spoon into a sieve and set aside over a bowl to cool for 10 min. 2 Place 225g self-raising flour and 1tsp bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl. Whisk in 200ml milk and a beaten egg. Stir in half cooked mushrooms, a 100g drained tin of sweetcorn and 50g grated Cheddar cheese. 3 Wipe pan and put over medium heat. Grease, spoon a small ladleful of batter into pan, cook for 2-3 min, then flip and cook for 1-2 min until cooked through. Keep warm while making remaining pancakes. 4 Serve, stacked with remaining mushrooms, chopped, crispy fried bacon and a fried egg. Serves: 4 Cost per head: 99p LIFE!…

£2,054 jackpot & a holiday! By Jackie Burns, 45, from Seaford, East Sussex My partner Peter proposed last Valentine's Day and I was chuffed to bits. Peter, 58, and I had been together for three years, and my three kids, aged 15, 13 and 9, thought he was great. My days were always busy being a mum-of-three, and were now even busier with all the plans for the wedding. If I did put my feet up, I'd have a few games of bingo. I'd signed up with Chat Mag Bingo and my fave games were the slots. Then, a few weeks after I'd joined, I got a phone call. ‘You've won a holiday to Tenerife,' the caller said. I'd won a special Chat Mag Bingo promotion. The trip was scheduled…

Aquarius 21 Jan - 19 Feb There’s a wrinkle from your past that needs ironing out. A word someone said back then you didn’t understand. It seems a fuss to go through it again, but when you do, you’ll see what it meant, and everything will fall into place. • Call 0905 817 0700* for more Pisces 20 Feb - 20 March Something good is on its way - a windfall or a surprise gift, maybe. You might even be asked out! It’s not life-changing stuff, and will be over in a day, but it shows that, as far as the flow of fortune goes, you’re still in the loop! • Call 0905 817 0701* for more Aries 21 March - 20 April Fortune favours the brave… You make a…

Was it a new species? A hybrid secretly released? The farm sat on 64 acres on the edge of Wisconsin’s vast Geneva Lake. But John Deignan and his family never ventured into those dark, wild woods. ‘Stay close to the farmhouse,’ he and his wife Ann told their two small children. It was Friday 29 May 1857. John and Ann had come to America from Ireland. They’d worked hard to set up their farm, to provide for their two young children, little Catherine, 3, and her brother John, 2. The morning started like any other. Cows to milk, stables to muck out. Catherine and John played by the porch while their parents toiled. Suddenly, from the dark shadows of the woods came a dog. Or a man. On two feet,…

I worried he was a little controlling, but she never complained Music playing, drink in hand, gossiping with my bestie... The perfect evening! Even better, Marta and her boyfriend Tomasz Kocik, 38, lived just upstairs. I’d known Marta Ligman, 23, since December 2013. She worked in the local deli and, whenever I popped in, we’d have a chat. Marta was always smiling. When I moved into the same block of flats in Harlesden, north London, in October 2014, we became close. She told me she’d been with Tomasz for two years. Both Polish, like me, they’d met online while Tomasz lived in London and Marta was still in Poland. They’d fallen in love and she’d moved to be with him. ‘He looks after me,’ Marta told me. ‘And he makes…

She pounced on me. This wasn’t the little girl I’d once cared for Slipping into my white, lace dress, I felt so happy. Once widowed, and then divorced, I’d had my share of heartache, almost given up on finding love again. Instead, I’d concentrated on my kids – Darren, 29, Michael, 27, Ceri, 26, Tony, 24, Abbi, 16, Amy, 15, and Emily, 10. Then, in November 2013, I was recommended the dating site Badoo. With nothing to lose, I signed up. Soon, I got chatting to a handsome chap, Brian Williams, 48. Funny and kind, it wasn’t long before I agreed to meet him. We clicked! Brian had two kids from a previous relationship, and had never married. Just three months on, he proposed, and I was bowled over. ‘It’ll…

In the mirror, Abbi was trying to push up the sides of her face Everything was going so well. My husband Greg, 41, and I were expecting our first baby and were so excited. But at my 20-week scan… ‘Your baby’s got club feet,’ a doctor told us and explained that they were causing her legs to point inwards. The doctor said they could be treated after birth. But in December 2006, I went into labour and doctors struggled to find the baby’s heartbeat. I was rushed through for an emergency Caesarean. When Abbi arrived, weighing 5lb 1oz, she wasn’t breathing properly so was taken to ICU. When I finally got to see her, I was overcome with emotion. ‘My beautiful girl,’ I smiled. But over the coming days, doctors…

Instead of a snarling, scary guard dog, Marley licked the burglar's hand! My loyal Irish collie Marley, 5, curls up by my feet whenever I do my crossword. And that’s just where he was late on 6 October last year, while my husband Noel, 75, was away fishing. I’ve lived in this house for 40 years and, between my three kids – Mark, 51, Stephen, 50, and Julie, 47 – and 11 grandkids coming and going all day, I never lock up until I go to bed. About 10.30pm, I heard some banging upstairs. So, I went to investigate I was met by a youth walking down the stairs, holding a torch. He only looked 18 or so to me, and was a stranger. ‘What are you doing?’ I demanded,…

The only time I’ve been in awe is when I met my dream man, Ronnie Corbett Growing up, I dreamed of being a glam telly actress. I’d dress up and act out scenes in front of my bedroom mirror. But things don’t always work out in life… After leaving school, I became a hairdresser. Chatting to people all day built up my confidence. It was just like performing really. But my telly ambitions were always at the back of my mind. In 1987, when I was 40, I went on The Clothes Show wearing a snazzy hat. I was filmed speaking to The Queen’s hatmaker, David Shilling. Seeing myself on telly gave me a real buzz, but it was around 10 years before I appeared on the box again. I…

Rimmel The Only One Lipstick in One-Of-A-Kind, £6.99, Boots Nourishes lips to leave them looking and feeling soft. Top tip: Remove dry skin with a flannel before applying lippy. George Matte Lipstick in Idolise, £4, Asda A good lipstick at a great price. We like the packaging, too. Top tip: Keep lips moisturised as matt lipsticks can make them look flaky. Essence Longlasting Lipstick in On The Catwalk, £2.30, Wilko The colour lasts all day without drying out smackers. Top tip: Apply highlighter along your cupids bow for a fuller-looking pout. Barry M Lip Stain in Absolute Burgundy, £4.49, Superdrug This one lasts for absolutely ages, with a lovely, velvet finish. Top tip: Use with a lipliner to stop colour bleeding outwards. Colour Studio Pure Matt Lipstick in Steller, £8.50,…

1 Check out the telly location! The beautiful Jurassic Coast is the setting for TV crime drama Broadchurch. The village of Cranborne, close to the New Forest National Park, is also worth a visit - in 2001, the village had a population of 779 people, unaltered at the 2011 Census! 2 Walk, run, cycle. Lacing up our trainers in Blandford Forum, we kicked off by participating in a 5k parkrun. It takes place every Saturday on the Trailway, a walking and cycling path which runs along a dismantled railway line. 3 Get historical! Blandford Forum is the most complete, small Georgian town in England. After a huge fire in 1731, it rose ‘like the phoenix from its ashes, to its present beautiful and flourishing state' as…

Pass the hat At my workplace, we've stopped the custom of collections for employees' special occasions. Before it was discontinued, I dipped into my wallet nearly every week for a workmate's birthday, wedding, baby or retirement present. Once there was even a whip-round to give a gift to a new employee - for getting through the first week! Most workers feel obliged to contribute, even if they can't afford it, and I reckon all employers should follow my company's example and put an end to the practice. What do other Chat readers think? Les Holt, Manchester Ice is nice! Josh Sumner’s letter ( We Hear You , 10 Dec 2015 issue ) about scientists making roads ice-free depressed me. Where’s the joy of winter without frost and snow? I think…

Tests showed both John and I had the faulty gene I wanted to raise money – step out of my comfort zone Back in July 2003, life was wonderful. I’d just given birth to a daughter, Rebecca, and my husband John, now 45, and I were so happy. Our second daughter Rachel was born in August 2005. With two girls, our family was perfect. But then it all started to unravel… In autumn 2006, a family friend died suddenly. Rebecca was devastated. They’d been so close. Over the next few months, it seemed like my girl changed. Always tidy, she became a messy eater, missing her mouth, and started wetting herself and falling over. I took her to a paediatrician, who referred her to a consultant at Southampton General Hospital.…

HELLO,PET! Meet Hasbro’s robot cat - it purrs and responds to belly rubs, but doesn’t need feeding or litter trays! Wonder where you stick the charger… S’NO BALLS Nope, not something served up by Ant and Dec in the jungle. This was sold closer to home at the Salisbury Christmas Market last year. Sounds yummy, but we’ve just had our lunch, thank you very much… WATER WONDER! It might look like something from a Skittles ad, but this rainbow pool – aka the Grand Prismatic Spring in America’s Yellowstone National Park – is real. Best not go for a dip, though. Its temperature can reach 87C – hot enough to cook you! CHEEKY CHAP Ouch! This Muslim Sufi lad pierced his cheek to mark the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday during a…

When I went to change her nappy, I noticed a purple rash on her groin As my daughter Keri, then 22 months, refused to eat her dinner, I knew something was wrong. She hadn’t been herself for a few days, was quiet and sleepy. Then, when I put her to bed… ‘My legs hurt,’ she sobbed. I put it down to a cold or a bug, didn’t think it’d be anything serious. The following day, in March 2011, I had to go into work. So I phoned her dad Jonathan, 38, and asked him to keep an eye on her. We weren’t together, but he was still a hands-on dad. When I picked her up four hours later, Keri was still unwell. And when I went to change her nappy,…

Among the noise and hubbub, I caught a snippet of Mum’s voice... Leaning over the bed to tuck in the sheets, I kissed my mum’s cheek. ‘I’ll be back tomorrow,’ I promised. ‘I hope you’re feeling better soon.’ My mum Elsie had been admitted to hospital that morning. She had a bad chest and the doctors were worried she had pneumonia. She was wheezy and coughing, not her usual, cheerful self. And at 86, despite all her aches and pains, she was usually positive, although her Alzheimer’s meant she didn’t understand what was happening. She was a strong, determined lady. She’d worked in that same hospital, as a cleaner, for years. But three years earlier, Mum had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Now she lived in a nursing home, just…

He made me stand facing away from him as he rubbed himself against me Ripping off the last of the wrapping paper, I gasped in excitement. It was a beautiful dolls’ house, complete with tiny beds, tables and chairs. ‘Thank you, Nan!’ I said, throwing my arms around her. My mum Lillian, now 53, had bought me furniture, too. Then my stepdad Gordon raised an eyebrow. ‘Thanks,’ I smiled, hugging him. Mum met Gordon when I was 5. He was lovely, buying me toys and playing games with me. He’d take me, my older brother and sister on days out, too. But, when I was 10, my siblings started doing their own thing, so I started going for days out with Gordon on my own. One afternoon, while Mum was…

The shock of my condition meant I began to have anxiety, panic attacks... Sitting in the examination room at Leicester General Hospital, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. ‘You were born without a womb and you don’t have the internal canal of your vagina,’ he was saying. Only 17, I’d been struggling to have sex with my first boyfriend. And I still hadn’t started having periods. I’d gone to the doctor’s about it before, but had just been told that I was a late bloomer. I’d pushed for a second opinion and was given tests. One of them had been a laparoscopy – a type of keyhole surgery to look inside my pelvis. I’d known something was wrong, but I hadn’t been expecting this! ‘I don’t understand,’ I replied,…

Wear an outfit which will get you noticed. Thousands of people audition for telly shows, so you need to stand out. Whenever I've worn anything sequined and sparkly, I've managed to make it past the audition stage - this will boost your confidence, too! Sometimes your nerves can take over when you're speaking to the camera, so practise what you want to say in front of the mirror or, better still, get a friend to video you on their phone. Come prepared with fun facts about yourself. I recently got onto a quiz show when I told them about how I love to write poems for people's birthdays. I also mentioned my love of Ronnie Corbett, so they got me to write a poem for him on the spot. They…

Your favourite brands work with QUIDCO! Getting fit, eating healthier and sprucing up your wardrobe doesn't always come cheap, but if you shop with Quidco, you can earn cashback every step of the way to a new you. From Weight Watchers' subscriptions to new bikes from Halfords, gym equipment from Argos to workout fashion from the likes of Nike, Adidas and Reebok, there's always cashback available! You can even earn on your health-kick essentials from all the UK's top supermarkets, and health-and-beauty products from popular stores such as Boots and Superdrug! Quidco users earn an average of £280 each year, earning money back when they shop online, in-store and via mobile. So how does it work? 1 Simply browse the offers available on Quidco.com/  chat, then click the…

I was the biggest in the class by far, but I felt so welcome As a little girl, I was a ballet dancer. I loved prancing around in my leotard. But before I hit my teens, all that changed. As well as dancing, I loved my food – and it started to show. Soon, I felt too self-conscious to show my chubby bits, so I packed in my ballet lessons. But my love of food didn’t slow down. I’d feed my cravings for salty bags of crisps three times a day. With red hair, and tall for my age, you couldn’t miss me when I walked into a room. By age 16, I’d ballooned to a size-16. ‘Fatty!’ the bullies sneered. Once, some lads threw unlit fireworks at me, jeering…

Surprise! The camera caught my baby niece Scarlett a little by surprise..! Sarah Durham, Catshill Hello, bro! They're nearly 1 year old now, but I still treasure this photo of my twins Archie and Freddie - it was the first moment they met after three days apart in separate incubators. Claire Houghton, Port Talbot Mini Mia It's Miss Minnie Mouse, aka my adorable 10-month-old daughter Mia - cute as a button! Lisa Adams, Halesowen…

Before I knew it, my pyjama bottoms were off and Caitlin was telling me to push Waking up at 5am, I felt a few agonising twinges. Heavily pregnant, I was five days past my due date. I knew the pains were contractions, but they were so far apart, I thought I still had plenty of time. So I got up and put the kettle on. An hour and a half later, the pains became more frequent. ‘We should make our way to the hospital soon,’ I told my partner Daniel, 26. I already had four kids – Caitlin, 11, Ricky, 10, Lacey, 2, and Rudey, 1. So I knew labour could often last hours. That’s why I was still very calm about it. Daniel took Rudey to his sister’s, while…