Table of contents for 14-Jan-2021 in Chat

STYLE TIP Wear a three-piece co-ord together or split up for multiple ways to wear. Try tucking in the top to give more shape. STYLE TIP Think joggers are always casual? Think again. Bag a wide-leg, faux-leather pair that skims over thighs and team with heels. STYLE TIP A V-neck knit is flattering for a fuller bust. Try layering a thin to add extra prints and colours to your outfit. STYLE TIP Go luxe with loungewear and try faux-leather joggers. This relaxed fit is cuffed at the bottom and great for wider hips.…

Francine Sharrocks, 36, Rawtenstall Lifting my newborn Halle out of her cot, I was struck by an all too familiar feeling of dizziness. And as I struggled to keep my balance, I returned her to her bed. ‘I can carry her,’ my husband Steven, then 40, offered, seeing me struggle. It was September 2017 and, since giving birth just over a month before, I’d suffered from dizziness more severely than usual. In fact, my life had been blighted by dizzy spells, on and off, for 10 years. ‘It’s just a case of vertigo,’ the doctors would say. But medication to relieve it did little to help. My head felt like it was spinning, as if I was drunk. And even when I stood perfectly still, I felt like I was…

OVER TO YOU Can you set a puzzle in this format? Send it, with a photo of yourself, to the address on page 3 - there’s £20 for every one we use! This week’s puzzle was compiled by Byron Saunders, Port Glamorgan ACROSS 1 Pack tightly 2 Fast rabbit-like animal 3 Showy flower 4 Green pod vegetables DOWN 1 Break off a small piece 2 Unusual 3 Opera song 4 Army canteen WIN 5x £25 Puzzle 6 Your answer: HALF & HALF Nighthawks, Benefits Supervisor Sleeping and Bigger Trees Near Warter are all artworks in what medium? Cross out a letter in each square to get a grid filled with words. The uncrossed out letters in the shaded squares give the prize puzzle answer. WIN £100 puzzle 7 Your answer: BRICK…

ARROW WORD Trostan is the highest point in which county of the UK? 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 puzzle answer. Your answer: WIN £1,000 Puzzle 10 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: WORD SEARCH An 1819 short story by John Polidori is credited with popularising which fantasy creature in subsequent literature? The answer is the one missing from the grid. CYBORG DRAGON GHOST GIANT GOBLIN IMP KRAKEN MUMMY OGRE TROLL VAMPIRE…

Which animal, named Sylvia, featured in the title of an Edward Albee play of 2000? Solve the crossword, then read down the yellow squares. The yellow shaded squares will spell out the prize puzzle answer. ACROSS 1 Colour of the winner’s medal (4) 5 Leg joint (5) 7 Retained (4) DOWN 2 Type of tree (3) 3 Female deer (3) 4 School of Rock actor, _ Black (4) 6 Illuminated (3) WIN £50 Puzzle 13 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Nearly two thirds of drivers aged 17-24 say they’ve relied on financial support from their parents to cover the cost of running a car in the last 12 months, according to research by comparethemarket.com. But giving support has taken its toll on many parents with 48% of those who help their child admitting it’s a ‘financial burden’ on them. Did you know? Some 65% of UK homes are signed up to regular subscription services, spending an average of £46 a month on them, research from Barclaycard Payments has revealed. TOP TIP Monzo divides your spending into lists so you can see exactly where you’re spending your cash.…

Aries 21 March-20 April Generous to a fault, don’t spend your hard-earned cash on a whim. Consult your partner before first or there will be trouble later when they find the receipts. • Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May Your friends seem uninspiring, caught up in their own lives. You’d rather they didn’t put their worries on your shoulders. Find ways to relax. • Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Need mental stimulation? Try something new, like poetry, cycling, learning an instrument or sport with your friend or partner. A family member has a secret. • Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July From experience, you have a clear idea of a timetable and approach to an issue. Try…

Q How can I keep my hair from frizzing up in winter weather? Olivia Head, 57, Trowbridge A We’ve all been there: spent ages grooming our hair in the morning and the minute we step outside, moisture in the air pushes it right out of shape. Frizzy hair is a common symptom of winter - but, thankfully, we can combat it. Make sure you’re using a smoothing conditioner, like Mark Hill Smoothing Conditioner, £8.99, Boots, to stay on top of hydration, and if you’re often caught in drizzle, keep a serum to hand. L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Frizz Killer Serum, £8, Superdrug, has keratin and cocoa butter to keep frizz at bay. Apply it on damp hair to nip frizz in the bud, or on dry hair to tame…

Dear Eleanor, From the moment you were born in April 2018, I wanted to show you off to the world. I shared your adorable baby photo with family and friends on Instagram and Facebook. ‘This is my beautiful new baby,’ I wrote proudly. ‘Yes, she has Down’s syndrome and her life may be a little bit more complicated than for others but she’s a fighter and she’s just the most beautiful little girl ever,’ I added. People adored you, and me and your daddy Craig, then 38, were inundated with lovely messages. What a little cutie! they wrote. Afterwards, me and Dad couldn’t resist posting sweet little snaps of you online. Whether you were playing in the bath, feeding the ducks in the park, or just wearing a cute little…

What does American model Gigi Hadid say is her favourite drink? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the two-word prize answer. WIN £1,001 Puzzle 5 ACROSS 11 Two-piece swimming costume (6) 12 With one’s identity concealed (9) 13 Long tube (4) 14 Most fortunate (8) 15 Band formed by the Gallagher brothers (5) 16 Stringed musical instrument (6) 17 Gained knowledge (7) 18 Flying dinosaur (11) 20 Small branches (5) 22 Place to do exercise (9) 24 Deceive (5) 28 Obstruction (7) 29 Wash clothes (7) 32 Fuss, trouble (6) 34 Shakespeare play featuring three sisters (4,4) 36 Forgiven for a crime (8) 37 Departs (6) 39 North African country (7) 40 Reflective surfaces (7) 45 Press and squeeze dough (5) 47…

In 1987, James Dailey was found guilty of Shelly Boggio’s murder, and it took the jury just 68 minutes to recommend the death penalty. He was sent to Death Row to live out the rest of his days. But that wasn’t the end of the case... Dailey appealed. Years later, in 2015, he told the State’s parole commission, ‘I am innocent. Jack Pearcy killed that girl, but I have no way to prove that.’ And in a signed declaration in 2019, Pearcy agreed that he alone had killed the teenager. ‘James Dailey had nothing to do with the murder of Shelly Boggio,’ the declaration said. ‘I committed the crime alone. James Dailey was back at the house when I drove Shelly Boggio to the place where I ultimately killed her.’…

World Health Do you clean your jewellery? After two-thirds of Brits admitted they don’t, a recent study revealed a selection of jewellery gathered 428 times more germs than a toilet seat in one week.*** Swap and see Enjoy a warming bowl of porridge for breakfast? Swap sugary sachets for MOMA vegan porridge pots. They’re 100% dairy and gluten free, with absolutely no added sugar. (From £2.99 for five sachets, momafoods.co.uk) Midlife resolution The average weight gain for women during perimenopause is 2-5lb.* This is because approaching menopause impacts the way our bodies work and where we store our fat - primarily around our middle. This is the result of low oestrogen levels promoting fat storage in the stomach area. Weight gain can also be caused by loss of muscle mass…

Prizzilla Greer, 27 Walking along the supermarket aisles, I smiled to myself. My newborn daughter Lo was snuggly strapped to me in her baby carrier. And my 1-year-old son Nixon sat happily in the trolley. I loved having two children so close in age. My husband Skylar, then 22, and I had planned our little family perfectly. But as far as having any more kids went - well, it was a definite no! See, I’d come from a family of five kids, had watched my own mum struggle. ‘I only have one pair of hands!’ I remember her saying, exasperated. So... ‘Two is the perfect number,’ I told Skylar that evening in January 2016. ‘Won’t you miss being pregnant, though?’ he asked. It was true I’d loved carrying my kids…

This eye-catching gold-plated bracelet, with its pretty amber coloured beads is just what you need to revitalise your wardrobe! To claim your bracelet just send an 88p stamped, self-addressed envelope to the address, right. Team your bracelet with matching gold plated jewellery: a 28-inch heart necklace for just £6, a faux amber pendant on a 17-inch gold plated chain for £6, and two pairs of earrings - faux amber drops and gold-plated hoops - at just £6 for both pairs. The full set costs just £18 and if you order it all, we’ll enclose another jewellery gift - absolutely free! How to claim your free bracelet Complete the coupon and send together with a stamped, self-addressed envelope and any payment to: LMS Dept CHAT44 PO Box 998 Aylesbury HP22 9LE…

FILL ME IN A photo by Martin Le-May that went viral in 2015 apparently featured what animal on the back of a bird in flight? 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 £1,001 Puzzle 5 Your answer: CIRCLE TIME Which of Shakespeare’s characters adopts the pseudonym Cesario for much of the play in which they appear? Fit the words into the grid, then read down the letters in the shaded circles. 3 letters EAR GAP HER INK LOO SIR SKI VAN WOO 4 letters CASH DASH ECHO LACK SWIM USER 5 letters EARTH MOTOR NACHO PANIC 6 letters ANSWER RADISH RELIVE RISING 7 letters OUTRAGE VANILLA WIN £100 Puzzle 15…

3 ways to... manage your energy bills It’s important to stay on top of your gas and electricity bills, says Uswitch’s energy expert Sarah Broomfield. Here are three top tips on how to do it… 1 Read your meter ‘It’s important to be able to read your meter to ensure your bills are accurate,’ says Sarah. ‘Don’t worry if your meter looks confusing, there’s a video on Uswitch. com about how to read the different types of meters,’ she adds. ‘Once you’ve taken your meter reading, make sure you submit it to your supplier; many providers offer this feature on their app or when you log in to your online account to make things nice and simple for you.’ 2 Open your bills ‘With paperless billing you receive your monthly…

Bulletproof: South Africa SKY ONE Ashley Walters and Noel Clarke are back as buddy cops Pike and Bishop, now on holiday in Cape Town in Bulletproof: South Africa on Sky One. They don’t get a relaxing break, however, when they’re caught up in a terrifying kidnap situation! Marcella ITV Amanda Burton will be joining the third series of ITV’s Marcella, which now sees Anna Friel’s troubled detective living with a new identity in Ireland. Amanda plays Katherine Maguire, the matriarch of a tough criminal family which Marcella is trying to infiltrate. Lightning BBC2 BBC2’s latest quiz Lightning is hosted by QI and Mock the Week panellist Zoe Lyons. There’ll be lots of quick-fire question rounds and mini physical challenges, that all need to be done without being struck by studio…

Beauty Director Sarah Cooper-White shares her favourites Soap & Glory Treat My Lips Ultra-Smoothing Lip Oil, £8, Boots This works wonders to provide lips with intense hydration and feels beautifully luxurious worn alone or on top of lipstick. Burt’s Bees Matcha & Honey Moisturizing Lip Balm, £3.99, burtsbees.co.uk Full of antioxidant-rich ingredients like matcha and vitamin E, this beeswax balm tastes of honey and softens, shields and nourishes lips. E.l.f Cosmetics Ride Or Die Lip Balm in Just Peachy, £5, Boots Free from toxic ingredients and packed with nourishing jojoba oil, this tint is like a warm hug for the lips.…

PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS THROUGHOUT HOW TO ENTER TEXT Simply text CHATA followed by a space and your answer/s (spaces between answers please) full name, door number and postcode to 84988 Texts cost 50p plus standard network charge (maximum 160 characters per text). When you enter by text, you may in future get SMS marketing messages from Future plc and Chat. If you want to receive these, please end your text with OPTIN. Texting tips • Don’t put any spaces in an answer that has several words: eg: CHATISTHEBEST not CHAT IS THE BEST. • If the answer is a name, you need only give the surname: eg: CLOONEY not GEORGE CLOONEY. • You can use capitals or small letters, but don’t use any commas, etc. • Leave out answers you…

Sharron Wilson, 57, Washington, Tyne and Wear Hugging my big sister Katrina, 18, I fought back tears. ‘I’ll miss you,’ I told her. ‘I’ll visit lots,’ she promised. It was 1972, and our Trina was leaving home to start a new job in the Lake District. It wouldn’t be the same without her. Aged 10, I looked up to her, as did my brothers George, 13, Stephen, 11, and John, 3. Still, true to her word, Trina visited often. A year later, she married her boyfriend Mike, and soon she was pregnant. ‘I can’t wait to be a mum!’ she said. But when Johnathon was born, he was poorly. Two days later, I found our mum Ena in tears in the living room. ‘Trina’s baby died,’ she wept. Something was…

Tara Cuff, 25, Blaenau Gwent Opening up Facebook, I excitedly posted the picture to my feed. Within seconds, my phone was pinging with messages… Amazing news! So happy for you! Congrats! Hardly surprising, given my photo showed a babyscan picture. It was March 2020 and, after four years of trying for a baby with my fiance Scott Brown, 27, we finally had reason to celebrate. We’d just had our 12-week scan and, thankfully, all was well with little Baby Brown. ‘It feels like a miracle,’ I told Scott, as we read the messages on our post. ‘We’re so lucky,’ he agreed, pulling me close. We’d been together for six years after meeting as colleagues at a Savers store. Inseparable from our first date, now we were engaged, owned our first…

Q What is the toilet situation? A We have a compost toilet. There’s a section for wee and one for solid waste, which is a collected in a biodegradable bag, so we can dispose of it safely in dog-poo bins. It was a godsend last year when lockdown was introduced. So many of our friends who also live in mobile homes rely on public loos, so when they were shut, it was a nightmare for them! Q Don’t you miss living in a conventional place? A Now we live in a small space, I find normal houses quite claustrophobic. In most circumstances, you can’t just step outside of your home and onto the beach, and I love having that freedom. I also hate central heating now. Houses are hot and…

Constantly parched Q My mouth always feels really dry, is something wrong? Anne, Ballyclare A A dry mouth at night or in the morning, often means that a blocked nose is forcing you to breathe through your mouth. Decongestants or nose sprays from your chemist, and an air humidifier or wet towel over the radiator, might help. A constant dry mouth could be due to anxiety, or a side effect of drugs such as antidepressants or bladder tablets - check with your GP if you’re taking any. Serious causes are rare but your GP may want to rule out conditions such as Sjogren’s syndrome, where your salivary glands, with other glands such as those that make tears, don’t work properly. Drink plenty, use sugar-free chewing gum and ask your chemist…

LURED TO HIS DEATH Breck Bednar, 14, believed he’d formed a friendship with Lewis Daynes, 18, via a gaming website. In February 2014, he went to meet Daynes at his flat in Grays. The next day, Daynes called 999, saying they had got into a fight. Breck had been stabbed in the struggle, his throat slit. But the police found Breck had been tied up with duct tape. And his clothes were in a bin bag. In 2015, Daynes pleaded guilty to murdering Breck. He was sentenced to life in prison, to serve a minimum of 25 years. DAD KILLS OWN FAMILY In June 2011, David Oakes’ relationship with Christine Chambers, 38, had broken down. They were due in court to discuss custody of their daughter Shania, 2. Just after…

Interfering in our friendship Q For a few years, I’ve kept a eye on my elderly neighbour. My children are at school, so I phone and - if restrictions allow - pop in. She’s young at heart and we gossip for hours. I think we’re both lonely, and this friendship is the best thing in my life. A while back, her daughter came back from America and made it clear I’m not welcome. She also said I won’t get my hands on her mother’s will, but I was never after that! Should I continue being her friend and risk upsetting the daughter? Or should I back off? Kara, 39 A Keep it up! You’ve no ulterior motive and are just showing concern. Why not suggest taking your friend out for…

Kathleen Whitehead, 100, Rochester Swimming out as far as I could, I splashed my identical twin Dorothy as we fell about in the water laughing. A bit further out in the river than Dot, I realised that the current was a little choppier. As my sis made her way to the banks, it dawned on me I didn’t know how to get back. ‘Dot, I’m stuck out here!’ I yelped. ‘Don’t worry!’ she replied, turning on her heels. ‘I’ll get help!’ And, minutes later, she returned with a man and his boat. It wasn’t long before I was back on dry land. ‘Thanks, Sis, let’s not tell Mum and Dad about this,’ I said to Dot with a chuckle. ‘Of course!’ she nodded in agreement. It was 1930, we were…

It sounds too awful to be true, but the shocking craze sweeping social-media platform TikTok involves teenagers pretending to be victims of terrible events, including 9/11 and the Holocaust. In the disturbing trend dubbed ‘trauma porn’, fame-hungry users make videos of themselves covered in fake cuts and bruises and describe events in explicit detail. ‘His hands were around my neck,’ says one girl pretending to be the victim of killer Ted Bundy. The videos attract hundreds of thousands of likes, spurring teens to be even more shocking. We look at the damage they’re doing to the families of victims, and to themselves. ‘They should be careful what they wish for’Karen Edwards, 59, Swindon The day my daughter Becky, 20, went missing, in 2002, is engraved on my mind forever. My…

Neal’s Yard Wild Rose Hand Cream, £10, nealsyardremedies.com Not only does the packaging have shelf appeal, but the formula is amazing too, thanks to beautiful essential oils that leave hands hydrated and smooth. Sainsbury’s My Skin Matters 3 In 1 Scrub, Wash & Mask, £1.50, Sainsbury’s Used on wet skin to cleanse and scrub or on dry skin as a face mask, this multitasker softens, deep-cleans and evens out the skin’s texture. The Hair Boss The Scalp Scrub, £7.99, Superdrug This preshampoo treat helps to keep the scalp in tip-top condition, leaves it feeling soothed and makes hair feel velvety soft. Max Factor Nailfinity Gel Colour in Standing Ovation, £7.99, Boots Two coats of this pretty pinky-nude shade will make nails gorgeously glossy for longer, thanks to its long-lasting gel…

Chat winners issue 40 (1 October, 2020) Anyone from your town in the list this week..? £1,001 CASH M Eagle, Walton-on-Thames. £1,000 CASH K Osborne, Kettering. £500 CASH G Edwards. Bury; M Halstead, Preston. £250 CASH G Wilson, Cumbria. £150 CASH S Walters, Salisbury. £100 CASH A Hancock, Stonehouse; W Brant, Torquay; E Swain, London; N Conboy, Rye; M Bray, Weston-Super-Mare. £60 CASH K Keywood, Wakefield. £50 CASH C Jowett, Basingstoke; B Leprince, Dorset; S Adams, Halifax. £30 CASH L Perrett, Somerset; A Sangster, London; M Johns, Uxbridge; J Crouch, Okehampton; B Harris, Freshwater. £25 CASH P Wright, Blackpool; J Charlesworth, Leeds; J Hughes, Wisbech; J Dickman, Carlisle; R Mitchell, Batley; J Corboy, Ryde; A Moate, Barnsley; M Higgins, Skelmersdale; D Boakes, Diss. Chat PUZZLE 3 AKELA Chat PUZZLE 7…