Table of contents for 06-Oct-2016 in Chat

I suffered terrible flashbacks and nightmares Then, in 2010, I was contacted by the police. Peter wasn’t home. He’d just gone out a few days earlier and not returned. An officer explained three girls had made allegations against Peter…and he’d gone on the run. I felt sick, disgusted I wasn’t his only victim. But I still didn’t have the courage to come forward. I feared nobody would believe me. Eventually, Peter was arrested. And, in 2011, he was jailed for 15 years for sex offences against his other victims. When I heard, I sighed with relief. It’s over , I thought to myself. Now I could finally move on with my life. But, over the years, I suffered terrible flashbacks and nightmares about Peter’s abuse. Then, after a few drinks…

NOT GUILTY! The jury took five hours to reach its unanimous verdict – Marcela was not guilty of manslaughter and had acted in self-defence, after suffering a catalogue of abuse. Marcela’s family wept in the public gallery as the verdict was read. Outside court, Gregory’s friend told reporters that he was devastated by the ‘injustice’, saying Gregory was ‘an amazing guy’. Marcela’s dad Mario was relieved, but showed compassion for the Peck family. ‘This has been a long two years for us, going through all this ordeal. This tragedy also is the loss of the life of Mr Gregory Peck and we grieve for the family.’…

Something about‘Mysterious Mark' caught my interest We're not embarrassed to tell the story of how we met! By Donna Roberts, 30, from Brighouse, West Yorkshire Sitting in the pub with my mates, our talk turned to men. ‘What happened to that bloke you were seeing?’ one asked me. She was talking about a fella who I’d met on a night out. ‘We went out a few times, then it fizzled out,’ I explained. It was no big heartbreak. At just 19, I wasn’t really looking to settle down. The next week, on a lunch break from my job as a legal secretary, my mobile buzzed with a message. Hi, what are you up to? it read. But I didn’t recognise the number it came from. Who is this? I replied,…

I finally got a diagnosis, but there was no cure By Hannah Baugh, 26, from Warwickshire Making a dash for the toilet again, I groaned in agony. I’d been suffering with diarrhoea and stomach cramps for weeks, going to the loo up to 15 times a day. I was losing weight, too, despite not changing my diet. I’d been to see my GP, but she’d just put it down to stress. As time went on, I became weak and extremely fatigued. Soon I’d lost more than 3½st. I started throwing up, as well, couldn’t even keep water down. ‘I’m taking you to A&E,’ my mum Wendy said, concerned. At Good Hope Hospital, I had an emergency ultrasound. It revealed a thickening in my bowel, so I was sent for an…

As Stephen, I just wanted to hide away, make myself invisible By Stephanie Jones, 28, from Moreton, Wirral Seeing my dad Ken with his trainers on, clutching a football, I knew what was coming… ‘Come on, Stephen, let’s go outside for a kickabout,’ he said. ‘I don’t want to play football, Dad,’ I groaned. What I wanted to do was play make-believe games with my sisters. But Dad wouldn’t take no for an answer I was only 8, but I’d known I was different since I was 4. Boys’ toys and activities didn’t interest me. I hated the dull trousers and T-shirts my parents bought me, envied my sisters’ pretty clothes. Mum and Dad knew something wasn’t right. Their worried faces and Dad’s attempts to get me doing ‘boy stuff…

I felt the metal ladder slip...and I crashed to the floor She was on the same ward, in the next-but-one-bed along! By Emma Jane Girling, 48, from Pool, Cornwall It had been quite a year, but finally things were on the up. In July last year, I’d been diagnosed with breast cancer. I’d needed to have a mastectomy, as well as chemo, and radiotherapy. A year on, though, I was cancer-free and ready to get on with the rest of my life. Before I’d been diagnosed, I’d just been accepted to become a foster carer. That had been put on hold but now I was busy redecorating my house ready to get my fostering plans back on track. My friends and family had been really brilliant. They’d all pitched in…

We put one foot in front of the other together By Michelle Watson, 33, from Newcastle Waiting at the school gates, other mums admired my neat bump. ‘You don’t look like you’re about to drop,’ one said. It was July 2013 and my partner Graham, 51, and I were expecting our third baby. But my friend was right – my bump was littler than when I was carrying Megan, 8, and Molly, 6. I’d been checked out, though, and given the all-clear. Molly had come up with the name Hope, and we’d all loved it. Not long later, gorgeous Hope was born at Royal Victoria Infirmary. At just 4lb 7oz, doctors kept her in for a few days. But, before long, we were allowed to take our bundle home. Only,…

1 Battle Abbey At this partially ruined Benedictine abbey, you can learn all about the Battle of Hastings, and how that day, back in 1066, changed England's history forever. 2 See the re-enactment It's the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings and Battle's the place where it was fought. Over the weekend of 15-16 October, see more than 1066 Norman and Saxon soldiers clash! 3 Take tea at the farm At the cafe at Great Farm Park, Catsfield, a short hop from the centre of Battle, the choice of cakes (and portions) is impressive and, like the homemade soup and lunches, utterly delicious! Be prepared to wait for a table, but it's worth it. Pick up local produce and plants from the nursery and farm shop. 4 Nip to…

1 Talk to your child in a relaxed environment. Going for a walk or a drive might be better than sitting face-to-face. 2 If your child confides in you, don't be judgemental or encourage them to retaliate. Praise them, stay calm and tell them you are there to help them. Don't threaten to take away their devices unless that's what they want. 3 Tell your child to be careful what they post, what they share, and help them to know when to leave a group chat or to change the conversation. 4 In some situations, encourage your child to block or unfriend the person who has upset them. They might be reluctant to do this if they consider the person a ‘friend', so talk to them about what it really…

It hardly seemed like a concrete motive Lawyers pointed out that police made several blunders THE CRIME Fourteen years had passed. But the question really remained murder the his same mum, - dad did , David brother Bain and two sisters Back … in or 1994 was , the in Christchurch killer his dad , New Robin Zealand ? , David, 22, was convicted of the five murders and sentenced Now, in 2009 to life , New imprisonment Zealand's . High Court granted David a retrial, on the grounds of new evidence relating to Robin's mental state at the time. Would they again decide that David Bain slaughtered his family..? THE STORY The Bain family lived on a quiet street in Dunedin, on New Zealand’s South Island. Dad Robin, 59,…

COFFEE WITH EXTRAS… Bradley Charvet has a brazen eye for business, with plans to open the first fellatio cafe in Geneva. He'd hoped to offer the same in London's Paddington, too. But Westminster City Council and the Met Police rejected the plan. What a blow..! ONLY SANTA ALLOWED New York firefighters were called to the rescue of Gregory Massuelle, 28, and Alexia Elodie, 25. The intoxicated pair had tried to return to a party from the roof via the chimney…and got stuck 10ft down. They had minor bruising, presumably mostly to their egos! NO SNAP DECISION A retired firefighter from Florida has vowed to do whatever it tak es to keep his pizza-eating alligator , after wildlife officials ruled it too big to roam about in his garden. David Van…

What I loved My new phone cover. It's bright red. Which means I can see it buried at the bottom of my bag, or peeking out from the sofa. It's the little things! What hacked me off Overhearing a conversation about whether to have the Xmas sprouts pureed this year and topped with bacon…too soon! Way, way too soon! What made me laugh Being an idiot! I was really whingeing that loads of socks had come out of the washing machine looking grey. I washed everything again, only to be told that the socks WERE grey… Hope your week doesn't leave you in a spin!…

The kids were grown up, and I lost their dad to cancer I buckled as an officer explained the money was all gone By Shelley Roylance, 61, from Plymouth I’d told the kids the story a hundred times… How I’d met their dad Rob in a club called Rooftops in 1973. How it was love at first sight. And how he’d proposed two weeks later. ‘After that, it was happy ever after,’ I’d said. Now it was October 2012. The kids were all grown up. And, after 39 years together, I’d lost my Rob to cancer. He was just 58. ‘We’re here for you, Mum,’ my youngest, Pete, 37, promised. Pete and his wife Helen had been angels. Rob had wanted to be cared for at home, so Pete came…

How had she wound up in Paris? That was 200 miles away! By Marna Gilligan, 39, from Gravesend, Kent In May 2005, my then boyfriend Sean Purdy, 46, found a cute stray near his office in east London. Meeting him after work one day, she trotted up to say ‘meow’! Instantly in love with her, I made a suggestion. ‘Let’s keep her!’ I said. Sean knew I’d always been a sucker for felines, and we’d already got two rescue cats at home – Fearsum Bearcat and Robot Tabbyface. Sean named her Moon Unit after Frank Zappa’s eldest daughter. Estimating she was 5 months old, we took her to the vet to get checked over. Moon Unit was pregnant! We kept one kitten, naming her Roswell, and rehomed the others. They…

MaraNatha Almond Butter Crunch, 200g, £3.99, Tesco Thickest of the three, give it a good mix before use. Don't keep it in the fridge or it'll go rock-hard - do try on hot toast where it softens as it melts. Pip & Nut Almond Butter, 250g, £3.95 The most runny, try this super-smooth treat swirled into porridge or blended into a fruit smoothie. Not strongly flavoured, but still good and nutty. Meridian Crunchy Almond Butter, 170g, £3.95 Good and chunky, with crunchy bits, this makes a great baking ingredient. Try it in homemade muffins and cookies. Stir before using. NEW Makers & Co Infused Wine Cocktails, £4.75, Sainsbury's Serve these fruity, lightly sparkling wine mixes over ice and a slice. In Cranberry, Rose Petal & Hibiscus and Lime, Mint &…

Serves: 6 Prep: 20 min Cook: 30 min 250g ready-made puff pastry 100g unsalted butter 150g caster sugar Zest of half an orange 2 medium eggs, beaten ½ tsp vanilla extract 1tbsp plain flour, sifted 100g ground almonds 330g plums, halved/stoned 3tbsp flaked almonds 3tbsp plum jam, melted 1 Preheat oven to 220C/ Gas 7. 2 Roll pastry into a 26cm square and place on a nonstick baking sheet. Score a line all round 1.5cm from edge, prick middle of pastry, then bake for 5 min. Remove from oven and press centre down with back of a spoon to ensure rim is raised. 3 Meanwhile, cream butter with 100g sugar and orange zest. Gradually beat in eggs, add vanilla extract, then fold in flour and ground almonds. Tip mixture onto…

No-one knew what had caused the condition or how it'd affect my baby Somewhere out there, my donor has friends and family who miss them By Laura Milby, 32, from Glasgow One morning, I was fine. The next, I woke up itchy all over. ‘It’s unbearable!’ I cried to my husband David, 32. I was scratching like mad but it didn’t help. Pure torture. ‘I’m taking you to the doctor,’ David said. I was 12 weeks pregnant and figured the itchiness had to be a symptom. But it was new to me. I hadn’t experienced anything like it when I’d had our first little one Sarah four years earlier. David and I thought the doctor would prescribe some cream to sort it out. I had blood tests. A couple of…

Barry M Satin Super Slick Lip Paint in Bare It All, £4.99, Superdrug This tawny shade is bang on-trend, and the creamy texture feels luxurious. Top tip: Try different nude lippy shades to find what works for you. Collection Deluxe Lipstick in Chicago, £3.99, Boots Perfect for daytime wear, this is easy to apply and leaves lips feeling moist and nourished. Top tip: For more staying power, after applying, blot with a tissue and repeat. Boutique Lipstick in The Naked Truth, £7, Sainsbury's A thick, matte formula in a flatteringly light, coral-pink shade that looks great on all skin tones. Top tip: Use a lip scrub once a week for a soft, sexy pout. Gosh Velvet Touch Lipstick in Nude, £6.99, Superdrug Gives lips a lovely wash of glossy colour…

When it comes to unusual coincidences between two lives, identical twins have an unfair advantage. But for Lorraine and Levinia Christmas, from Norfolk, the twin connection proved disastrous. On Christmas Eve 1994, both on the spur of the moment, they decided to drive to each other's house to deliver presents. The country road between their villages was icy and both sisters were involved in a head-on crash - with each other! In the end, they spent Christmas in the same hospital as their father, who was recovering from surgery.…

My fella Don and I love their Geordie japes We couldn't get the real deal – they'd be the next best thing Make plans on a Saturday night? Nah! For me, when the weekend arrives, it’s about what’s on telly! Especially Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway. Each series, my fella Don, 38, and I love their Geordie japes. When the show returned last February, Don saw online the famous ‘Supercomputer’ was heading to Edinburgh. It travels the UK each week, giving lucky viewers prizes, in exchange for them performing a talent – aka making a fool of themselves! Don loves the limelight so, when he told me, I was excited. ‘Let’s go!’ I agreed. On Sunday 22 February, Don donned a kilt and sporran to wow the crowd. ‘Just…

The boys were hysterical as I gave Nicole CPR By James McWilliams, 44, from Brough, near Hull As we sped through the sea, my wife Nicole and our two sons beamed. On holiday in the South of France, we’d hired a motorboat. Ewan, 11, and Harry, 9, laughed as we zipped across the waves, while Nicole, 42, and I took in the views. ‘That was perfect,’ Nicole said afterwards, agreeing to come again the following year. For Nicole, life was all about family. Lots of love and lots of laughter. At bedtime, she’d read stories with the boys. At weekends, they’d bake together. Like Nicole, Ewan loved badminton. The two of them would play for hours. And we took it in turns to watch Harry play football – even though…

He told me his friends would come after me if I told anyone I didn't even consider aborting my baby – an innocent life By Julie Dunlavy, 35, from South Shields There was something about my uncle Peter Dunlop I didn’t like. Scruffy, with a menacing look, Peter, then 37, scared me. Though he was my mum’s brother, I only met him when I was 11. Mum and Peter grew up in care and had been separated as kids. So she was pleased as Punch when they were reunited. Peter had a troubled past and had a reputation for being tough. But around my parents, he was friendly and always cracking jokes. ‘Alright, pet?’ he’d grin, giving me a wink. Then, when I was 13, Peter took me to his…

Lumpy nose Q My nose is becoming increasingly swollen, red and lumpy. Is there anything I can do? Louise, 50 A Sounds like rhinophyma, where oil-making glands in the nose become enlarged. It can be part of rosacea - redness and spots across the face. Treatment is usually by antibiotics and/or surgery. Stress and hair Q My mother's hair turned grey straight after my father died. My doctor says it's a myth that stress can turn you grey - but is it? Carriann, 36 A Yes, it's a myth. However, it can appear to happen if stress triggers an attack of telogen effluvium - a sudden loss of hair - by shutting down hair follicles. As it's mainly coloured hairs that are lost, the rest seems to turn grey overnight!…

He began drinking heavily, dealing cocaine He claimed he couldn't remember killingJennifer Colton Pitonyak’s early life showed great promise. From a wealthy family, his parents sent him to a private Catholic school, where he flourished. Colton was also an altar boy, attending the priests during Mass and helping with Communion. Highly intelligent, in 2001 he started at the University of Texas, Austin, on a scholarship. Yet Colton soon began drinking heavily, skipping classes and even dealing cocaine. Eventually, he was suspended from university. He spent the next few years in and out of college, drinking and taking drugs. Then, in spring 2004, he met Jennifer Cave. By then, Colton had added a tranquilliser to the street drugs he was already hooked on. He encouraged Jennifer to experiment, too. That autumn,…

1 First make a hollandaise sauce by melting 215g lactose-free spreadable in a small pan. 2 Blitz 3 egg yolks, 1tbsp fresh lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne pepper in a blender, then slowly pour melted spreadable into blender while it's still running to thicken sauce. Season to taste. 3 In a bowl, whisk together 250g plain flour, 230ml lactose-free whole milk, 55g lactose-free spreadable, 2 eggs, 1¼tsp baking powder and 1tsp salt. 4 Chop 50g spinach and stir into batter. 5 Melt 55g spreadable in a small frying pan over a low heat, add a ladle of batter (about a third), and cook for 6-8 min. 6 Meanwhile, fry 9 rashers of bacon until crispy, and fry 3 eggs. 7 Serve pancakes topped with bacon and eggs, drizzled…

Get real While on holiday in Holland and Belgium, I noticed something about shop mannequins. Instead of the super-slim ones we see in UK shop windows, these were visibly larger, about a size-14/16. It was refreshing to see fashionable clothes on normal-sized bodies. Perhaps shops here should take note - if your target market's the average British female, why not use models that really look like them? Vivien McLaren, Alsager Cash out I agree with Cilla Shiels that it’s worrying to see a dad give his young son a contactless bankcard to go to the shop (We hear you, 28 July issue). But we’re moving towards a cashless society. By the time this little boy has grown up, handling money and calculating change may not be skills relevant to his…

It would be pioneering surgery, a first for the UK One day, my black, wizened lip dropped off into my hand By Nikki Lulildia, 20, from Coventry Panicking, I leapt out of bed and raced to the bathroom. ‘Dad, Dad!’ I screamed, terrified. As I leaned over the sink, blood poured from my mouth. It was February 2007, I was 11 and had no idea what was happening. Was I dying? My twin sister Rachel sobbed as our dad Jip Singh struggled to stem the bleeding. Leaving Rachel and my sister Emma, 12, with our brother Ranjip, 19, Dad rushed me to University Hospital Coventry. There, doctors were baffled at what was causing the bleeding. It’d come from nowhere... Holding a blood-soaked towel to my mouth, I was sent to…

I used to go down the bingo halls with my mum We even had enough left to take the kids on holiday By Charlene Richards, 39, from Bolton Curling up on our trusty old leather sofa, my partner Martin and I settled in for the night. Martin, 43, flicked through the channels, finding some sport to watch. I decided to enjoy a few games on Chat Mag Bingo as he picked something for us to watch. I’d joined the bingo site a few years earlier after spotting a sign-up promotion. The bingo games had always been my favourites. When I’d been younger, I used to go down the bingo halls with my mum. But then I met Martin, had five kids, now 21, 19,17, 9 and 3. Being a…

Aries 21 March - 20 April There’s a lot to be said for making the first move, but, in this case, you’re jumping the gun. The crucial moment is a few days away yet, and a lot can happen in that time. You may not need to do anything at all! Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April - 21 May You’re getting carried away with romantic ideas about a new relationship. It’s going well - and it’ll get even better - but you’re not in a position to set the pace, so keep your expectations realistic, and your feet on the ground. Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May - 21 June They say the grass is always greener, and, this week, you’re taken with…