Table of contents for 18-Apr-2019 in Chat

How many kids is too many? Don’t ask Patty! She’s got 13 little ones with number 14 on the way. Can you imagine the mess?! (p34). A secret love affair between family members wasn’t likely to have a happy ending, but for both Andira and Mohammed, the consequences were tragic (p14). And Kristina came home from her girly holiday with one arm after something truly shocking happened to her as she swam (p10). As well as all that, we’ve got loads more real life, your fave prize puzzles to enjoy, Aunty Nelly’s straight-talking advice, and yummy recipes to jazz up mushrooms. And don’t miss p58 for discounts on family days out! Have a great week!…

Winning post My son Lucas, 2, loves posting stuff. So, I made him his own postbox using an old shoebox. I cut a slit, painted it, and added ‘E II R' using card. He loves it! Natalie Ahmed, Nottingham Feeling fruity Why stop at using a mug tree just for your crockery? I've turned mine into a handy place to store fruit and veg, and even my spectacles! Doreen Heath, Coalville That’s a wrap! My fridge-freezer's next to a wall, so the handle always hits it. To avoid leaving a mark, I covered the handle in bubble wrap. It works so well! Bina Storey, North Shields Nut-in to it To crush nuts with no mess to wipe up after, place them in a plastic bag and then bash them with…

GUILTY  he jury didn’t buy T Andira Abdelaziz’ claims that she hadn’t meant to kill Mohammed, her lover and nephew. She was convicted of his murder and faced up to 20 years behind bars. However, the jury decided that she’d killed her victim in ‘sudden passion’. So she was jailed for just two years – the minimum sentence possible to receive. Her husband Karim yelled out, while the victim’s parents wept on the other side of the court room. It was painfully clear how the ultimately deadly affair had destroyed and divided this once-close family.…

Going backwards Q Sex is painful and my gynaecologist says it could be due to my retroverted womb. What's that? Symone, Madrid A One in five women have a retroverted womb that tilts backwards rather than forwards. It rarely causes problems, though might bump against your partner's penis during deep sex. A change of position will help, but see your doctor if it persists. Bottom issue Q The skin around my anus is constantly sore and itchy. What's the best cream to use? Catriona, Newtownards A Anti-fungal cream might help, as it could be an infection. But more important is to wash your bottom after the loo to remove tiny residues of poo that can inflame skin. Your GP will help if this doesn't work.…

SESSION BINGO Buy a value bundle of tickets for a mixture of 15 different 75-ball, 80-ball and 90-ball bingo games for an hour of fun in our Session Bingo room. SAPPHIRE BINGO The classic 90-ball bingo game. Three chances to win a cash prize with every game; just be the first to complete a line , two lines or a full house. LOUNGE BINGO This exciting bingo game is more than just dabbing the numbers called. Lounge back – and be first to cover the game patterns to win. ROUND THE CLOCK A 75-ball bingo room with a new game every five minutes. Enjoy exciting chat games, a fun community and progressive jackpots from 10p a tick et.…

By now, my weight had plummeted to just 5st, devastating my family. But they couldn’t reach me. No-one could. Then, one morning, I woke up and I realised I couldn’t feel the entire left side of my body. After calling NHS 111 and telling them my symptoms, I was raced to hospital in an ambulance, and was put on a feeding tube. There, gradually, the feeling in my arm and leg came back. Later that week, the hospital tried to discharge me. Not enough beds, I was told. But the temporary paralysis I’d experienced was the wakeup call I needed. ‘If you send me home, the next time I come back, I’ll be in a body bag,’ I told the doctor firmly. Thankfully, they took me seriously, and I remained…

Many of us couldn't live without our mobile phones, but they can be pricey. Here's how to trim your costs… Bag a deal If your phone contract is about to expire - or already has - consider a SIM-only contract if you're happy with your handset. It could save you a lot of cash. If you're keen to upgrade, you will often be tied into a two-year contract. So make sure you're happy paying the amount for that period. Also, it may be cheaper to buy the handset outright and pair it with a SIM-only deal instead. Work it out Make sure a new contract is right for you. If you don't use tons of data, don't pick an pricey unlimited deal. And make sure you have enough minutes. Going…

Q ‘I feel like I’m getting no sleep at the moment and want to look more awake without loads of make-up. Do you have any advice what I can do?’ Carole McFarland, 47, Wantage A We know the feeling all too well – burning the candle at both ends and trying to make the most of the long evenings. There are three simple products we can’t live without when it comes to looking awake – a bright lip, peachy/coral blush applied to the apples of the cheeks and mascara to open up the eyes. Q ‘I want to protect my skin with a decent SPF that doesn’t affect my make-up. I’ve heard SPFs in foundation aren’t reliable for accurate coverage too?’ Jessica Breach, 34, Wolverhampton A You’ve heard right! We…

Slow-cooked Spanish beef and mushrooms Serves: 4 Prep: 15 min Cook: 2 hr • 1tbsp vegetable oil • 1kg rolled brisket of beef • 120g smoked bacon lardons or chopped streaky bacon • 12 shallots, peeled • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced • 500ml Spanish red wine • 300ml beef stock • 300g chestnut mushrooms, halved • 1 large carrot, chopped • 2 celery sticks, sliced • 2 sprigs fresh thyme • 2 bay leaves 1 Heat the oven to 160C/Gas 3. Heat oil in a large frying pan and lift in the beef joint, searing it over a high heat to brown on all sides - for about 5 min. Transfer to a large casserole. 2 Add the lardons or bacon to the frying pan and cook over a…

Coronation Street Gary’s in deep Sarah’s bemused when Bethany reveals she saw Gary driving his van in a shirt and tie rather than his usual builders’ garb. What she doesn’t realise is that her fella is working for Rick in order to pay off his debt to the loan shark. When he’s put on debt collection duties, Gary’s horrified when Rick’s side-kick Sharon shows him the ropes and gets violent with one of the debtors. Will he toe the line and do what he’s told? Meanwhile, the Connors worry about a mentally ill Carla who’s still missing. Emmerdale Who’s stalking Harriet? After being attacked by a hooded figure a few weeks ago, Harriet was spooked to find someone had broken into her home and splattered red paint over the pulpit…

Caitlin Hellyer, 18, Plymouth Me and the girls in my class stood shivering on the games pitch, awaiting our first hockey lesson. Aged 7, one by one we were handed a battered wooden stick. But when it was my turn, a metal tennis racquet was passed to me. ‘Can’t I have a hockey stick?’ I asked, confused. ‘We think you might be more comfortable with this,’ the PE teacher explained. Standing at under 4ft, I’d been diagnosed with achondroplasia dwarfism at 6 months old, in 2001. As a baby, my parents Jacqueline, now 52, and Leon, 46, had taken me to the doctor’s, concerned about why I was growing slower than my cousins born in the same year. The diagnosis came as a complete shock. Neither of my parents or…

Kristina DeJesus, 32 The sun beat down and the lake lapped around us as me and 14 pals chattered excitedly. It was a scorcher! On a girls’ trip away, we were spending the first day on Lake Travis, in Austin, Texas. Swimming, sunbathing, taking photos from a floating pontoon in the centre of the clear blue water. Perfect! It was 7 October 2017, around 5.30pm – and as we got ready to return to the dock, I jumped back in the water. But, hitting the water, I felt a current instantly pull me under the boat. Hard as I tried, I couldn’t get back up. My biggest fear was getting trapped underneath and drowning. Dragged down further, I heard a grinding sound. Frantic, I flailed my arms, kicked my legs…

Katie Giles, 33, Cheshunt Seeing my midwife muse over my results, I knew what was coming. ‘It looks like it’s back again,’ she told me. ‘I knew it,’ I said. It was October 2016 and I’d just been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. This occurs when the body can’t produce enough insulin during pregnancy. It can cause problems before and after birth. I’d contracted it during my first pregnancy – but, thankfully, Jenson had arrived as planned. Now Jenson was 9 months, and with baby number two on the way, we had to be wary. ‘We’ll monitor you like last time,’ my midwife said. The next few months of my pregnancy were normal. But by the time I was 38 weeks, my baby was getting too big. So, doctors made the…

2011: Electric-saw killer Nicky Ward was jailed for life, to serve 22 years, for murdering his wife on 12 April 2011. Ward, 29, told Norwich Crown Court he'd no  recollection of the killing and dismembering of Emma Ward, 22, the year before. Traces of her bone and blood were found in an electric saw owned by Ward, but Emma's body has never been found. Judge Peter Jacobs said the amount of blood suggested Ward had attacked his wife with a ‘sharp instrument'. 1991: A deadly engagement On 14 April 1991, Rachel McLean, 19, was strangled to death by her fiance John Tanner, a day after they got engaged in Oxford. Tanner, a New Zealand native, hid Rachel's body  under the floorboards before being arrested. Later that year, Tanner…

Essence Camouflage + Healthy Glow Concealer, £2.80, Wilko Containing Vitamins B5 and E, and light-reflecting pigments to help you look more awake, this is waterproof too. Lottie London Got It Covered Concealer, £4.95, Superdrug This is perfect for on-the-go touch-ups thanks to the built-in sponge, making it great for precise coverage. George Cover Up Concealer Stick, £2, Asda Who doesn't love a stick formula when it comes to concealer? This melts into the skin with ease and is perfect for pesky spots. W7 Cosmetics Catwalk Concealer, £4.95, w7cosmetics.co.uk Made to last, this concealer with sponge-tip applicator has a creamy consistency, which is perfect for covering redness, under the eyes and blemishes. George Illuminate Concealer, £4.50, Asda The ideal high-end dupe, this concealer illuminates the under-eye area without creasing…

Sarah Pallett, 28, Coventry Overcome by a wave of sickness, I leant over the bathroom sink. ‘Urgh!’ I groaned, utterly exhausted. It was October 2017 and I was four months pregnant. Me and my boyfriend Antony Pallett, then 29, couldn’t wait to welcome our little bundle of joy. It’d been love at first sight when we’d met on a night out in August 2010, and we’d always wanted a family. We’d just moved to Hatfield, in Hertfordshire, when a pregnancy test turned positive. Our lives felt complete. At our 12-week scan, everything was perfect, but I still suffered terribly with morning sickness – could barely eat. And I wasn’t the only one feeling rough. Antony was lying on the sofa, also feeling the worse for wear. ‘At least I have…

Hello... Growing up, all I ever wanted was to be a mum. As a teenager, any time I’d see a baby, I’d simply fill up with joy. Felt I was destined to have a child of my own. One day… When I met Lee, then 19, in 2004, through a mutual friend, we quickly fell in love. He was handsome and funny, and we’d so much in common. Wanted the same things in life. A family of our own… After seven happy years together, in November 2011, we decided to try for a baby. By then, I was 26 – in my prime. Going off birth control, I couldn’t wait to fall pregnant. Out shopping, I’d indulge myself and buy cute sleepsuits, bibs and toys for our future child. Too…

As my son Jonathan flopped onto the couch next to his mate Daniel, I looked up from my magazine. ‘Hi, lads, how was your evening?’ I asked them. ‘Great, thanks, Mrs Sloan,’ Daniel grinned. It was spring 2018, and my Jonathan, then 20, had moved out and into shared accommodation, the previous summer. I missed my boy like mad, but he loved having his own space. Jonathan had a heart of gold, was trusting and loyal He’d met Daniel Smith, then 19, at his new place, and they’d become close. They often popped over to visit. ‘He’s my brother from another mother,’ Jonathan would joke. Daniel had always been nice and polite to me and Jonathan’s dad Paul, 46. But, even so, something about him worried me. While Jonathan worked…

Wrinkly skin Q My friends who smoke are all getting wrinkles - are their ciggies to blame? Starr, Hastings A Certainly could be! Smokers tend to develop earlier and deeper wrinkles. It can be an effect of chemicals in smoke which damage elastic tissues in skin, and nicotine, which reduces the blood supply to your face. Treating arthritis Q I have pain and stiffness in my wrists, hands and feet. My GP diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Am I going to get worse? Mary, Sowerby Bridge A Symptoms vary greatly from one person to another, but modern treatment has improved the outlook and can often nip RA in the bud. No-one's sure of the cause, possibly a virus triggers your immune system to attack your own body tissues. My heart’s too…

Kathryn Ennion, 28, Whitehaven Hearing the key turn in the lock, I jumped up off the sofa. I’d just finished getting our two kids ready for school. We’d been waiting to greet my husband Stuart, 28. He’d been working a long night shift. And today was a particularly exciting day. The moment Stuart walked in, the kids threw themselves around his legs. ‘We’re going on holiday!’ they chorused excitedly. ‘I know!’ he laughed. ‘What do you think?’ I asked, pointing to my laptop. A photo of the sun-soaked shores of a Turkish resort. ‘Get it booked!’ he nodded. I was so excited I almost had to pinch myself. The night before – last October – I’d been relaxing on the sofa, when I’d decided to play Chat Mag Bingo on…

Becky Rudkin, 31, Aberdeen Chugging back another bottle of water, I headed to the kitchen sink to refill it. ‘That’s your third this morning,’ my mum Fiona, 45, frowned. It was April 2009 – and for the last few months, I’d been drinking water like it was going out of fashion. A keen dancer, I’d assumed all the exercise I was doing meant I was a little dehydrated. I was always going to the toilet, too. ‘I’m taking you to the doctor’s,’ Mum insisted. The next day, I had my blood taken, then headed to my job in a shoe shop. That afternoon, Mum rang. ‘You need to go straight to Raigmore Hospital,’ she said. There, a consultant revealed I had Type 1 diabetes. ‘But I’m only 19 – and…

Aries 21 March - 20 April Someone you used to know pops up out of nowhere with an idea which seems too good to refuse. But it’s all very mysterious. Do a bit of research, and then you can make a better decision. Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April - 21 May Two hurdles for you to get over this week. The first says you can have some of what you want, but not all. The second asks for payment. At least they show you’re dealing with reality rather than fantasy. Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May - 21 June Someone close could spoil your moment of triumph by reminding you they had a part in your success. Maybe they are a bit jealous.…