Innholdsfortegnelse for 19-Sep-2019 i Chat

Shea and her twin Kasey were so close, but for a long while they didn’t know that they were keeping the same secret (p29). After giving birth, something terrifying made Charlotte fear that one of her first cuddles with adorable baby Freddie would also be her last (p46). Amanda has spent many years of her life behind prison gates but she’s not a criminal. Her fascinating story is on p24. As well as all that, we’ve got loads more gripping real life, fashion (p12) and home hints (p36). Plus, your usual mix of puzzles with big cash prizes. Fingers crossed you’re a winner!…

Hard as nails My sandals always get scuffed at the front after a couple of wears. I put a couple of coats of clear nail varnish on the damaged parts and they look as good as new all summer. Janet Friett, Ellesmere Port Cracking feet If you suffer from cracked heels, try rubbing Vicks VapoRub into your heels before bed. Wear cotton socks, wash your feet in the morning, and you'll be left with nice, smooth heels. Barbara Champion, Durham Problem solved! Make a quiz book for holidays by cutting out magazine puzzles and sticking them in a notebook. Michelle Doggett, Ballymena Pegged out!  When pigeons started using my children's trampoline as a toilet, I used clothes pegs to keep them at bay! Katy Fox, Ellesmere Port Dreamy When ironing…

Top Tip!  Dress up with statement jewellery and heels or dress down with a T-shirt underneath and trainers. Top Tip!  70s-style corduroy is all the rage this autumn. Be on trend and get the designer look for less with this caramel- coloured co-ord.…

What’s that lump?  Q There's a hard lump on my finger. My specialist says it's an implantation dermoid. Does it mean cancer? Jen, Oldham A This isn't cancerous, it occurs when a fragment of surface skin is driven deeper - often by a prick from gardening or a DIY injury. Your body treats the skin fragment as a foreign object and surrounds it with scar tissue. An op under local anaesthetic can get rid of it. Are they different?  Q When I get my pills, sometimes their shape and colour are not the same! Why? Nancy, Egham A It depends on the manufacturer. When a new drug is developed, the manufacturer has a patent for 20 years and all pills will look the same. Once the patent has expired, other…

Fish tagine Serves: 4 Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 30 mins • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 onion, thinly sliced • Salt and black pepper • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped • Large handful of cherry tomatoes, halved • 200g new potatoes, halved • 350ml vegetable stock • 4 cod fillets • 1 jar Sacla’ Black Olive Pesto • 2 preserved lemons, skin only, rinsed and finely chopped • Handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped • Bulgur wheat to serve 1 Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the onion, season well and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and tomatoes. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes until they begin to soften. 2 Stir in the potatoes and add the…

Aries 21 March - 20 April New rules seem like a lot of fuss for nothing. It’s tempting to dodge them and do what you always used to, but that will simply waste your time. The new way is the only way, and actually it’s not that hard. Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April - 21 May How long do you wait before deciding you’ve been stood up? What if the other person is trying hard, but is genuinely delayed? The outcome, just as in the movies, is a last-minute thing - but all ends well. Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May - 21 June You and your ex seem to be moving in the same circles these days. You’re getting close, too. Are…

Louise Atkinson, 39 Handing in my notice at my banking job, I felt nothing but excitement. My partner Les, then 36, was doing the same thing and we were heading for a new life together in the Ibiza sunshine. ‘We’ll be there in 10 weeks!’ I giggled to Les that night. It was April 2016, and we’d visited the year before, found a bar by the sea we hoped to buy. We gave notice on our flat, too, ready to fly out that June. Only, a few days later, I started feeling unwell. Anxious. And that May, when I had a panic attack at a gig, I knew something was wrong. ‘It could be stress from the move,’ my GP suggested. ‘Must be,’ I agreed. So I tried to ignore…

1 Cleanse gently ‘Facial cleansing is particularly important to get rid of excess sebum and limit build-up. But harsher cleansers often strip away the moisture at the skin’s surface, causing the skin to compensate and produce excess sebum.’ Essentials Gentle 3 in 1 Cleanser, £6 2 Exfoliate ‘Exfoliating once or twice a week is an effective way of removing persistent blackheads. What’s more, it reduces the accumulation of dead surface cells as it helps stimulate the skin’s own renewal process.’ Optimals Exfoliating Face Scrub, £10 3 Try a clay mask ‘Masks are ideal in the fight against clogged pores and oily skin. Clay masks containing kaolin and charcoal help to absorb excess sebum. Once or twice a week delivers optimal results.’ Pure Skin Blackhead Clearing Mask, £9 ALL ‘3 WAYS…

Skye Wardle, 23, Minsterworth, Gloucestershire Wrapping my arms around my golden retriever Finn, 13, I snuggled my face into his fur. Just then, my other retriever Marley bounded through the kitchen door from the garden. He licked my face with his rough tongue. ‘Yuck! So slobbery!’ I laughed, pushing him off gently as he covered me in dribble. She was covered in lice, sores all over her body It was May 2016 and as usual I was surrounded by animals. I’d grown up in Gloucestershire with my mum Julie, then 47, dad Andrew, 47, and older sister Cathy, 22. We lived in the countryside with plenty of outdoor space and were a family of animal lovers. Mum, a veterinary nurse, was always bringing back all sorts of waifs and strays…

Dear parents, We’ve all said it... It’ll never happen to us. Even the most anxious new parent doesn’t imagine the worst will happen. But I’m here to tell you it can, and why we should all be more prepared... When my son Thomas was born on 15 April 2015, it was one of the happiest days of my life. He was six weeks early, but perfect. A healthy 6lb 13oz. After 11 days in the Neonatal Unit at Warrington Hospital, my partner Peter, then 45, and I brought Thomas home. Our daughter Olivia, then 5, adored the new baby. I was breastfeeding and Thomas took to it like a duck to water, flying through his check-ups with the health visitor. On 9 May 2015, when Thomas was nearly 4 weeks,…

Little Kendall Chick had a difficult start in life. Born in November 2013 to a drug-addict mother, Kendall was drug-affected and developmentally delayed. It wasn’t long before she was taken into care. Then, in January 2017, she was placed in the care of her paternal grandfather Stephen Hood and his fiancee Shawna Gatto, in Wiscasset, Maine. Everyone thought it was for the best. But, at 4.30pm on 8 December 2017, Hood called the emergency services. He told the operators that Kendall was unresponsive. When the paramedics arrived, they found the little girl was not breathing. She had no pulse. Kendall was rushed to Mid Coast Hospital, but it was too late. Less than two weeks after her fourth birthday, Kendall was dead. The authorities were immediately suspicious. The child’s body…

Carol Pake, 50, Fife As I handed my daughter her shin pads, she winced in pain. It was October 2016 and Katie, then 8, was supposed to be getting ready for football training. Only, today, she didn’t seem very keen. ‘I don’t want to go, Mum,’ she said, rubbing her right leg. Skipping a practice wasn’t like my sport-loving girl. She was at her happiest burning off energy. Running around with her brother Cameron, then 12, playing football, or splashing in a swimming pool. But this wasn’t the first time she’d mentioned pain in her legs. ‘I’m sure it’s just growing pains,’ I reassured. ‘Do you want to go swimming instead?’ Katie nodded. I reasoned she wouldn’t have to put pressure on her leg in the water. She’ll have forgotten…

Amanda Brown, 64, Beaconsfield Walking through the towering metal gates, knots twisted in my tummy. Atop the high walls, barbed wire poked out. It was November 2004, and day one of my new job as Duty Doctor at Huntercombe Young Offender Institution. My patients would be boys, aged from 15 to18. Criminals. Nervous, I reminded myself that I could handle teenage boys. I had two myself – Rob, then 17, and Charlie, 15. They all had their own stories and troubles For the last 20 years I’d run a village GP practice in Little Chalfont, where patients were like family. But I’d called it quits that March. New GP contracts, rewarding surgeries for meeting targets, had been announced. ‘I’m concerned they may be prioritising money over patients,’ I’d raged to…

1989: Murder on the M62 At 2am on 14 September, Inspector Raymond Codling and a colleague visited Birch motorway services on the M62. While checking vehicle security, they approached a man acting suspiciously. The man produced a gun and started shooting - and Raymond Codling, 49, was fatally wounded. Convicted armed robber Anthony Hughes was the murderer - and shot himself dead with the same gun 12 hours later. 1982: Dingo-baby trial On 13 September, Lindy Chamberlain went on trial for murdering her 9-week-old daughter Azaria. She claimed the baby was snatched by a wild dog from the family's tent at a campsite at Uluru, then  known as Ayers Rock, in Australia. The baby's body was never found. Chamberlain was convicted of murder, before being released in 1986…

Janet Maiden, 56, Leyland, Lancashire Scanning my wardrobe for something comfortable to wear to my job as a cashier at a nearby petrol station, I smiled. I’d spotted a dark green T-shirt with ‘Tiki Monkeys’ printed on the front and seeing it brought back so many fun memories. ‘Nottingham 2017,’ I chuckled to my husband, John, 62. ‘What happens on tour, stays on tour,’ he grinned, giving me a peck on the cheek before leaving for work. It was May 2019, and for several years I’d been meeting up with a group of about 20 women I’d met on the Chat Mag Bingo site. I’d signed up back in September 2014, when a friend suggested I tried playing Chat Mag Bingo. I quickly became a massive fan, especially when I…

Japan with Sue Perkins BBC1 Sue Perkins returns with another travelogue, this time exploring Japan. In the two-part documentary, the former Bake Off star begins her journey in Tokyo and along the way she attends a Sumo bout, meets Geisha girls and spends a day with a family and their three robots! Defending the Guilty BBC2 Former Casualty actor Will Sharpe plays Will Packham - an idealistic pupil barrister competing with his fellow pupils for the same job at the end of their training. Katherine Parkinson plays Will’s worldly wise mentor Caroline who attempts to show him the ropes. Murdertown C&I Katherine Kelly returns to host the series which tells the stories of some of the UK’s most shocking murders by visiting the locations where they took place. Featuring contributions…

Charlotte Parkins, 31, Manchester Yawning, I flicked on the kettle and put my hand on my bump. ‘One, two...’ I said, carefully counting each kick from my unborn baby. It was early one morning last December, and I was 34 weeks pregnant. It felt amazing carrying my first child, but the past few months had been stressful for me and my husband Michael. We’d had complications. Our baby hadn’t been moving as much as the doctor would’ve liked. So, every day, I had to count each little kick. I was constantly racing from work as an English teacher to the maternity ward at St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester. Thankfully, scans always confirmed the baby was OK. And now, with six weeks to go, I was impatient for my first cuddle.…

April Harris-Parkes, 19, Manchester Sweeping me up into a bear hug, my dad Keith Harris grinned. ‘Who fancies an ice cream and a trip to the swings?’ he asked. I nodded excitedly. Dad grabbed our coats and a football and off we went. Full of energy and fun, he was always taking me to the beach or the park. He and Mum had split when I was just 1, and Dad didn’t have much money. But that didn’t matter to me. ‘Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside,’ he’d sing I was his adored only child, and he had all the time in the world for me. He’d pick me up after school, take me for a quick game of footy. And, on Friday nights, I’d go to…

Mason, 54, says, ‘When Sarah expressed interest in being in a relationship with me, I was just as shocked as anybody. ‘But, when you meet someone and end up talking for three hours effortlessly, that's kind of unusual and I think she felt that way, too. ‘Obviously we are lovers but we're also good friends. We really enjoy being around each other and make each other laugh. ‘It doesn't matter how old she is, or where is she's from or anything else.'…

Lucy Hamlin, 36, Accrington Walking into the school office, I spotted my boy Charlie, then 4, with a bloodied tissue held to his nose. Passing him a fresh one, I showed him how to make the bleeding stop. ‘Pinch it right here,’ I said, pointing to the bridge of his nose. He did as I said, and smiled. But the school were still concerned. ‘It’s not stopped bleeding all morning,’ one teacher said. ‘What if it’s broken?’ I doubted it – and, honestly, wasn’t too worried. It was Charlie’s first-ever nosebleed, but I’d suffered from them for most my life, knew how to deal with them. Strangely, though, after that first one of Charlie’s in September 2012, they became more regular. They’d come on without warning, at all hours of…

This is a surgical procedure used to treat bone tumours in children that occur near the knee. The bottom of the femur, the knee, and the upper tibia are surgically removed. The lower leg is then rotated 180 degrees and attached to the femur. This gives the appearance of a shortened leg, with a foot on backwards. The foot and ankle can then replace the removed knee joint, which means the patient can wear more below-knee prosthetics that more easily allow them to play sport and be active.…

We even look identical again! Watching as Kasey told our mum and dad Rick, 65, the truth, I saw him instantly relax. This heavy weight and burden lifted off his shoulders. He explained how, after watching documentaries about transgender people, he’d had this realisation. These other people were telling his story. And now, finally saying it out loud, he felt relieved. He started living as a male, keeping the name Kasey. I was happy for him, truly. But I struggled. In June 2016, Kasey started hormone therapy, and slowly began to transition physically. Then, in August, he had surgery to remove his breasts. From then on, the change was absolutely amazing. Suddenly, my twin Kasey looked like a man. He’d wander around our bedroom topless, and I was instantly envious…

Nearly a third of Brits have borrowed money from family and friends - but more than half have no plans to pay them back, according to new research by Lloyds Bank. 1 Can you afford it?  Before considering lending money to a loved one, it's essential to look at your own finances carefully first. Work out how much you can comfortably afford to lend - if anything. But also consider whether they can afford to borrow the money from you. Encourage them to work out a budget, so they can show you how they can pay you back. 2 Get it in writing  It's always a sensible move to put it in writing if you are lending to a family member or friend. It will set out details such as…

Herbal Essences bio:renew Coconut Milk Hydrate Mask, £6 Parched, frazzled or frizzy post-holiday hair will love this nourishing cream mask, which has real coconut and corn-silk extract. The tropical scent is a winner too, and takes you straight back to the beach. Pro:Voke Touch of Silver Toning Treatment Mask, £4.99 UV rays, smog and swimming pools take their toll on blonde hair, leaving it dull and brassy. This three-minute mask is loaded with violet pigment to neutralise yellow tones, plus a hydrating complex for shine. Toni & Guy Damage Repair Mask, £7.19 A light, minimally-scented mask that would work particularly well on fragile curly hair. Use it for five minutes once a week to repair damage from styling or excessive heat.…

TIKI BINGO This is a good value 90-ball Bingo room, where you’ll find tickets from 1p, exciting link games, impressive jackpots to be won, and a buzzing chatroom. TIKI TOTEMS Set in a Pacific paradise , this slot game has cascading reels to enter Tiki’s Free Spins bonus round for a chance to win free spins and cash prizes. Play from 25p . TIKI ISLAND This slot game offers Pacific delights and a £100,000 top prize! The reels spin with e xciting symbols of paradise and our favourite Tiki monk ey. TIKI TEMPLE You can win spins, cash and progressive jackpots in this slot game . Uncover the path to the Tiki Temple, then open the winning treasure chest to win.…

Coronation Street Paul confronts his past The past comes back to haunt Paul when Bernie’s ex Kel, turns up. Billy discovers that Kel left Bernie after a huge falling out with Paul when he was 14, but when the vicar tries to find out what happened, Paul refuses to talk about it. Later, Paul thinks he’s seen the last of Kel until he discovers that Bernie has got back together with him. So, what did happen between Paul and Kel? Emmerdale Mandy’s in the money! The Dingles aren’t happy to learn that Mandy and her son Vinny have been hiding a bag full of stolen cash and casino chips. Aaron offers to get the chips changed into cash but when he turns up with the money, he has a go…

Love conquers all I feel inspired by Philippa and her husband's story (18 July issue) and angry at the hurtful comments from some people - family, too. I was born with cerebral palsy and, when I had our son Rob 41 years ago, I met with negative remarks. One hospital cleaner said I'd never cope and I'd be back with my baby within a week. Rob was born eight weeks premature and we coped well. He's now a loving dad to three caring, wonderful teenagers. Always remember, love knows no boundaries and truly does conquer all. Jean Wood, Teignmouth Silver texters Senior citizens have taken to texting with gusto, and even have their own terminology! Here are a few examples... BFF: Best friend fainted BYOT: Bring your own teeth FWB:…

In 2003 - nine years after Gacy's death - a horror film documenting his crimes was released. Gacy - also known as The Crawl Space - was praised for its dark, disturbing insight into the notorious serial killer . It charts Gacy's life story, from his unstable childhood to his eventual ex ecution. The last scene features his now-infamous final words. With actor Mark Holton donning Gacy's chilling clown make-up  and costume as he carries out the brutal murders on the screen, the film gives a sense of the killer's true depravity. A 1992 two-part TV film To Catch A Killer documents the police efforts to bring Gacy to justice. It stars award-winning actor Brian Dennehy as the serial killer, and Michael Riley as the detective investigating the case .…