Table of contents for 25-Mar-2021 in Chat

As usual, so many of Chat’s stories this week are all about family. Melissa turned to her sister-inlaw Amy after a truly harrowing time. What Amy did next is astonishing (p10). What Ella achieved with her family’s support is amazing, even though it wasn’t always easy (p37). Then there’s Ness and her daughter Ellie (p58), who’ve both fought the same battle. You’ll also find ideas to jazz up a quick chicken dinner (p40), statement jumpers (p12) and loads more, including our fab prize puzzles. Plus, don’t miss the amazing Product of the Year goody bag giveaway (p14). Stay safe and well this week.…

STYLE TIP Play with textures and mix a cosy cardigan with a cool vinyl skirt for a rock‘n’roll edge. STYLE TIP Sleeveless knits are bang on trend and a great layering tool. Wear over an oversized collar blouse. STYLE TIP Make a statement in an animal-print knit. Keep it chic in neutral hues such as camel and brown. STYLE TIP The ruffle detailing on this jumper gives it extra pizazz. Wear over a floral frock for a spring-ready look.…

Q What connects actor Amy Adams and chef Gino D’Acampo? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the prize puzzle answer. ACROSS 1 Encounters (5) 4 Tiger Woods’ sport (4) 6 A ctor played Michael Corleone in The Godfather (2,6) 13 Roman god of the sea (7) 14 Snack eaten at the cinema (7) 15 Correct a mistake (5) 16 Late singer, _ Simone (4) 17 Video game (6) 18 Spanish rice dish (6) 20 Wild animal’s den (4) 21 Hang on tightly (5) 22 Senior years (3,3) 25 Curved shape (8) 28 Protective hat (6) 30 Indefinite, uncertain (5) 32 Ballet about a princess who turns into a bird (4,4) 34 The _ Identity, 2002 film (6) 35 Lash (4) 38 Attractiveness…

In April 2017, Juan Rocha and his four followers were found guilty of kidnap and murder. Judge Jose Alfredo Silva Chamorro handed all five a 30-year jail term. ‘The suffering that Vilma Trujillo was subjected to is something no human being should go through,’ he said. After sentencing, Vilma’s husband told local media that, while nothing would bring his wife back, he was pleased with the sentences. Though the trial focused on the exorcism itself, much speculation still surrounds the case and the church group’s true motives. Unproven rumours say Vilma was drugged and raped by a powerful man. And the blurred lines in the South American country between rape and adultery then led the church to make accusations of extramarital sex. Human rights organisations also say that Vilma’s horrifying…

The lumps on my arms are so itchy Q I’m tormented by itchy lumps and a specialist has diagnosed nodular prurigo. What’s that? Marie, Dunblane A These intensely itchy, raised warty lumps usually appear on your arms or legs, but sometimes shoulders, neck and trunk, too. The cause is a mystery, but they’re most common in people who have itchy skin due to eczema or an insect bite, and it’s possible they’re a reaction to excessive scratching. A vicious circle sets in – the more you scratch, the more lumps appear and the itchier they become. Rarely there’s another cause such as anaemia or kidney disease and your doctor will rule these out with blood tests. Often nodular prurigo will get better on its own. Skin soothing creams, steroid cream…

In French cuisine, potage Saint-Germain is a soup made from a base consisting of what? Solve the crossword, then read down the yellow squares. The yellow shaded squares will spell out the competition answer. ACROSS 1 Not liquid or solid (3) 3 Type of dance (3) 5 End of a sock (3) 6 Small truck (3) 7 TV presenter, _ Perkins (3) DOWN 1 Bill _, Microsoft founder (5) 2 Late actor, _ McQueen (5) 4 Small lake (4) WIN £50 puzzle 13 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Denis Tetrault is a 71-year-old, now-retired businessman who spends his days playing the stock market. Fabienne Laferriere is a 25-year-old media personality and presenter. Yet despite their 46-year age gap, the couple are utterly in love. And they’re both insistent on one fact. Their relationship isn’t about money. Fabienne and Denis have experienced more than their fair share of stares and comments when out in public. The common assumption is that Denis is Fabienne’s sugar daddy. But glamorous Fabienne more than holds her own financially with her successful career in Montreal, Canada. Fabienne fell in love with septuagenarian Denis after they met at a charity event. They hit it off, with Denis asking for her number. Perhaps surprisingly, she handed it over, wanting to know more about the man with…

Before We Die C4 Lesley Sharp heads the cast of this six-part thriller. She plays detective Hannah Laing who becomes conflicted when she learns that her son Christian (Patrick Gibson) is an undercover informant in the investigation of a brutal murder. Viewpoint ITV This five-part drama stars Noel Clarke as DC Martin King, who camps out in the home of single mum Zoe (Alexandra Roach) to watch the home of a missing teacher and her boyfriend, who’s the prime suspect. The Pursuit of Love BBC1 Lily James, Dominic West and Andrew Scott are among the cast of this adaptation of the novel by Nancy Mitford. Set between the two World Wars, the three-parter follows two cousins, Linda and Fanny, as they search for the perfect husband… Saved and Remade BBC2…

Lottie London Coconut Primer, £8.95, feelunique.com If your foundation leaves you looking cakey, apply this primer to conceal texture and create a smooth canvas. It’s hydrating, won’t leave your skin greasy and smells like yummy coconut. Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Concentrated Unscented Hand Cream, £3.99, Lloyds Pharmacy If you can’t stand the smell of scented hand cream, this fragrance-free version is perfect for you. It’s incredibly moisturising and ensures your hands stay soft. Garden Of Wisdom Vitamin C 23% Serum & Ferulic Acid, £10, victoriahealth.com Just a few drops of this serum under your moisturiser every morning and you’ll notice a huge difference in the luminosity of your skin. It’s the glow-giving secret behind all healthy complexions. Essie Good To Go Top Coat, £8.99, feelunique.com Fed up of waiting for your…

TEXT Simply text CHATC 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 don’t wish to enter. INTERNET Join our…

The annual Product of the Year awards are back once again — voted for by 10,000 UK consumers. The famous Product of the Year red logo is a seal of approval, giving shoppers the inside scoop on the year’s most innovative buys. Make sure you look out for it when you’re next in store! We’ve teamed up with Product of the Year to offer 10 lucky readers the chance to win a bumper bag of award-winning products, filled with this year’s best buys across food & drink, health & beauty, household and pet products. King. C. Gillette Double Edge Safety Razor £20, includes 5 blades Any modern bearded gent can experience the classic look, feel and craftsmanship of the re-mastered King C. Gillette Double Edge Safety Razor. This safety razor…

Lynne Donnelly, 65, Cambridgeshire You can imagine my fear when I woke up one day and my face was different. It was January 2016, and we’d just celebrated New Year with friends in Wales. I padded to the bathroom the morning after, and gasped at my reflection. My eyes were red and itchy, cheeks swollen. ‘I can’t go to breakfast like this,’ I cried to my husband Mick, now 64. What had happened? Embarrassed, I wore big sunglasses to cover up. Thankfully, the swelling died down after a few days. I put it down to an allergic reaction… Only it returned a month later! Again, it faded – but kept coming and going. Until that April, when it returned with a vengeance. I swelled up, my throat closing… I could…

OVER TO YOU Can you set a puzzle in this format? Send it, with a photo of yourself, to the address on p3. There’s £20 for every one we use! This week’s puzzle was compiled by Helen Kinloch, Clapham, London ACROSS 1 Winged insect with a sting 2 Moving inside 3 Not quiet 4 Final parts DOWN 1 To lure 2 Shortly 3 Piercing 4 Long seed capsules WIN 5 x £25 Puzzle 6 Your answer: HALF & HALF Which 1960s dance craze was particularly associated with a 1964 single by Bobby Freeman? 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 answer. WIN £100 Puzzle 7 Your answer: BRICK TRICK In the film Some Like…

ARROW WORD Which ancient Greek deity is the goddess of the harvest? 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 £1,00 Puzzle 10 Your answer: 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: WORDSEARCH Stereophonics achieved their seventh UK No.1 in 2019, with an album called what? The answer is the one missing from the grid. ANGRY BORED BOSSY BUBBLY CHEEKY EAGER EXCITED GRUMPY HAPPY KIND RELAXED SAD SCARED STRESSED TIRED WIN £50 Puzzle…

FILL ME IN Which administrative capital is nicknamed the Jacaranda City? 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 £ 100 Puzzle 14 CIRCLE TIME Before he became president, Bill Clinton was governor of which American state? Fit the words into the grid, then read down the letters in the shaded circles. 3 letters ALLBUSEATFARGETICEOAROFFSACSAT 4 letters APESAREADRAGKIWIZPALMROADYANK 5 letters BUMPYGEESEMASON 6 letters BAMBOOMYSELFORBITSRAPIDSRECESSRESIST 8 letters MAGNETIC Your answer: WIN £100 Puzzle 15 TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

3 ways to... pay less for your pet insurance Soaring pet insurance premiums and the cost of cover is a concern for one in five policyholders, a Which? survey found. Here’s the consumer group’s tips on cutting the cost… 1 Shop around It’s best to do your homework and really shop around to get the best price for the cover you need, but it’s also essential to check the T&Cs before buying a policy, Which? warns. The consumer group says the most basic pet insurance policies may cost less, but put a time and financial limit on claims. Once the limit is up, that particular condition is excluded from the policy. 2 Keep up to date Keeping pets as healthy as possible can help you save money on pet insurance…

Pesto chicken courgetti Like pasta but lighter! SERVES: 4 PREP TIME: 10 MINS COOK TIME: 15 MINS • 750g courgettes • Olive oil spray (we used Frylight) • 1tbsp olive oil • 45g pine nuts • 200g mini chicken fillets • 2tsp chicken seasoning • 1 garlic clove, crushed • 250g tub quark • Small bunch basil • 400ml chicken stock 1 Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Trim courgettes, then use a spiralizer to create tagliatelle-style courgette ribbons. Spread out onto 1 or 2 roasting tins and spritz with the olive oil spray. Cook in the oven for 5 mins, just to soften. 2 Heat the oil and fry the pine nuts for a few mins, until golden. Set aside. 3 Add the chicken, seasoning and garlic to the…

Aries 21 March-20 April Don’t worry if things don’t go according to plan - be spontaneous. You’ll find a fascinating new location if you take a different route, and it’s the same in life. • Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May You’re lucky, fearless and not afraid to stand your ground. Prioritise your passions, but don’t spend too much time burning the midnight oil. Tell your partner how you feel. • Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Look deeper at a situation, so you make the right moves. Forgiveness isn’t always easy, but right now move on with your life and leave the past in the past. • Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July Your passion burns slowly…

Q How do I match my foundation to my skin tone? There are so many colours to choose from! Sarah Visor, 62, Inverness A To get a perfect match, you need to understand your skin’s undertones. There’s an easy trick, don’t worry! Just look at the colour of the veins on your wrist. If they’re blue, then you’ve a ‘cool’ skin tone with pink undertones. If they’re green, you have a ‘warm’ skin tone with yellow undertones. If you’ve got a mix, you’re a ‘neutral’ tone with yellow and pink undertones. Next up, the shade. If you can, try before you buy and blend a small dot on your cheek, not your hand! Look at the colour in natural daylight, the dot should disappear when it’s right. Those with cool-toned…

Anyone from your town in the list this week..? Chat winners issue 52 (22 December) £1001 CASH K Berridge, Peterborough £1000 CASH L Finnigan, Newcastle £500 CASH A Taylor, Cheltenham; N/V £250 CASH M Williams, Preston £150 CASH K Borrie, Whyteleafe £100 CASH T Lowe, Southampton; H Trober, Bushey; G Gee, Kingsbridge; J Fellowes, West Bromwich; M Whiteley, Bristol £60 CASH P Merrin, Ipswich £50 CASH R Thomas, Telford; N Davies, Newtown; C Smith, Coleford £30 CASH C Houghton, Greater Yarmouth; C Howell, Bristol; C Taylor, Kelsall; M Little, Stanley; P Austin, Leeds £25 CASH G Brentnall, Coventry; J Horrocks, Northampton; C Knowles, Crowborough; J Pickersgill, Telford; R Maher, Rushden; D Corbin, Plymouth; G Pepper, Peterborough; M Morning, Wisbech Chat PUZZLE 2 171 Chat PUZZLE 11 558 Chat PUZZLE 15…

Melissa Hosegood, 37, Newbridge, New Forest As I took a pregnancy test in the bathroom, my stomach did somersaults. And then I saw it... Positive. ‘We’re having a baby!’ I squealed, running to show my boyfriend Joe. ‘Amazing!’ he cried. It was November 2012 and we’d waited for this moment for years. After being diagnosed with a heart condition when I was young, I’d always known it could be difficult for me to conceive. But when, aged 22, I’d met Joe in 2006, we’d dreamt of having a family. Yet, while thrilled, I felt anxious, too... Can my body handle this? Eight weeks in, my worst fears were realised when I started bleeding heavily. At Salisbury District Hospital, the doctors confirmed I’d miscarried. I was devastated. At least I know…

Q In what year was Prince Philip born? A 1920 B 1921 C 1922 If you know the answer, go to lifedeathprizes.com click Win and look for the competition. This competition is open from 9am on 18 March and closes at 11.59pm on 18 April 2021 Standard Chat magazine terms and conditions apply, for details go to https://futureplc.com/competition-rules. Entry implies acceptance to these rules. In the event of a conflict between the terms and conditions in this promotional material and the Standard Chat terms and conditions, the former shall prevail. For website rules of play, go to comps. lifedeathprizes.com/rules. The promoter is Future PLC & Product of the Year is the supplier of the prize. Product of the Year. There are 10 prizes to be won. The prize is a…

Kaya Corbridge, 24, Lancashire Tightening the bow on my skimpy string bikini bottoms, I rested my hand on my hip and pouted at my phone for a selfie. As I uploaded the snap, the comments rolled in. Stunning! Gorgeous! But it wasn’t Facebook or Instagram where I was sharing my pictures. It was a photo-sharing subscription service called OnlyFans. I’d learnt about OnlyFans while scrolling through social media six months earlier, in September 2017. It allows regular people to provide exclusive pics – usually saucy ones – to their ‘fans’. All you need to do is create a profile and people can sign up to view whatever you post. And you can charge hundreds, even thousands, for access. At the time, I was studying International Relations and Global Development at…

Top of the apps During 2020, 75% of mobile users relied on apps to maintain health and fitness, but which ones came out on top? Women’s health app Flo; sleep and meditation package Calm; and diet and exercise tracker MyFitnessPal.** Swap and see Are nuts your go-to healthy snack? Why not swap your usual mix for this immunity-boosting range from Nature’s Heart? Each plant-based flavour is packed full of minerals and vitamins to help keep your immune system in top form. (£3.25 for 100g, Amazon) Benefits of tea Love a cuppa? Good news! Research shows that tea doesn’t just taste good and warm you up, in fact there’s a whole host of healthy benefits you might not be aware of. Oral health ‘Tea is known to have antimicrobial effects in…

Nahla Summers, 40, Dorset Looking out the window of my little cottage by the sea, I watched the sky turn a pretty orange as the sun set. It was June 2012, I hadn’t slept properly for months. Since my partner Paul, 44, had died from a heart attack three months earlier, I’d barely left the house. Consumed with grief and loneliness, I had fallen into depression. But that day, I wandered down to the beach, where I sat watching a man exercising his horse. I was so mesmerised, I barely noticed as a dogwalker passed by. ‘Horses have amazing healing powers,’ he smiled. I nodded, suddenly aware of my appearance. I hadn’t washed, even brushed my hair, in days. But as he chatted away, making friendly small talk, my mood…

Nicky Tierney, 50, Oldham Unfolding the portable massage table in my living room, I gestured to my daughter Pippa, then 6. ‘On you get,’ I smiled. It was November 2016, and I’d recently started a Swedish massage course. Pippa was going to be my guinea pig. I kneaded her arms and legs as I’d learnt. When I gently pressed her tummy, the left side felt swollen and stuck out slightly. ‘Does that hurt?’ I asked. ‘No, Mummy,’ she replied. I wasn’t too worried, but my husband Mark, then 41, and I took her to the walk-in clinic the following morning, along with her sister Ava, 8. ‘Just in case,’ I told Mark. When I explained that Pippa’s tummy felt swollen, we were sent straight to see the doctor. Mark looked…

He got her pregnant Q After nearly nine years together, my partner and I decided to have some time apart. We have a beautiful child, but wanted a breather to reassess our relationship. After a few months, we both decided we still wanted to be together and things were great. But then I found he was with someone else when on our break and got her pregnant! I’m so conflicted. Laura, 33 A Were any boundaries set up while you were on a break? If not, he didn’t cheat or break any promises. Carry on, see how things go. Your partner needs to tell the other woman he’s not interested in a relationship with her, but that he’ll support the child. Support him, stand strong, and have a conversation between…

Ella-Morgan Clark, 27, Bristol Standing in the kitchen with my three brothers and our dad, I’d never felt more like the odd one out. ‘That was never a penalty,’ my dad Chris, then 38, roared, as my brothers agreed. Ignoring the football chat, I followed my mum Amanda, then 38, into the lounge. I watched as she tucked her glossy, blonde hair behind her ear and flattened her dress as she sat down. A strange, envious feeling flooded me. It was 2005, I was 11 and I’d been feeling confused for a few years I was nothing like my brothers Ross, then 17; Owen, 13; and Drew, 10, or other boys at school. ‘I love dancing and singing like you,’ I’d tell my girl friends. ‘You’re not like the other…

DVLA is warning motorists of online scams targeting drivers, such as emails claiming to offer vehicle tax refunds, after it revealed a sharp surge in reported cases last year. Scammers are targeting unsuspecting customers with links to services that do not exist, designed to trick victims into giving their personal and banking details. DVLA is advising anyone with concerns about any suspicious activity, to always report these to the police via Action Fraud immediately.…

Louisa Smith, 37, Bedford Blowing on my nails, I extended my arm to assess my new manicure. ‘That suits you,’ my sister Vicky, then 38, grinned. It was September 2018 and me, Vicky, her wife Naomi, then 44, and our mum Wendy, then 63, were enjoying a girly spa day. We’d lost my dad Michael, 64, to leukaemia that May. Funny, caring – the glue of our family – his passing took a devastating toll on us all. Adjusting to life without him was tough. So a pamper day was just what we needed. And for Vicky, the last chance to unwind ahead of a charity skydive later that week, to raise money for the hospice that’d cared for Dad. Kind acts like this were typical of my sister. All…

Rimmel Lasting Finish 8hr Lip Liner in 90s Nude, £3.99, Boots This creamy pencil is fantastic for overlining the lips to create a fuller-looking pout. It’s soft and hydrating enough to feel comfortable but will last all day, without the need for touch-ups. Catrice Cosmetics Plumping Lip Liner in Berry Bash, £2.50, justmylook.com If you’re wearing a bright lipstick, apply a lip liner all over the lips first to make your lipstick last longer. This berry-coloured pencil is the perfect pink for a bold look. Maybelline ColorSensational Shaping Lip Liner in Brick Red, £3.99, Boots Use a matching lip liner to outline your lips before you apply a red lipstick. A fine-tipped pencil, like this one, will give you a crisp outline, making it easier to control where the colour…