Table of contents for 29-Jul-2021 in Chat

We’ve all had a dodgy ‘do in our time. Mine was some very stripy highlights back in the noughties. I’m not tempted to recreate it now - unlike Jan, who happily rocked her old hairstyle and gave us all a giggle in the process (p19). If you’ve got funny old snaps of yourself you’d like to share, please send them to the address below! We’ve loads more true life this week, including a terrifying crime that began with a Tinder date (p16) and a bride who renewed her vows, then went home with the officiant (p10)! Plus bargains galore with cheap eats (p40), bags from £8 (p12) and discount flowers to treat a mate - or yourself (p46)! Stay safe and well this week.…

BEACH STYLE TIP This summer staple works just as well in the city as it does on the beach. Go for playful pom-poms or keep it sleek and simple. SHOULDER STYLE TIP Sling this handy design over your arm and freshen your look with a pop of colour. STRAW STYLE TIP STYLE TIP Go for textured cross-body bags in straw and raffia for an everyday style that’s practical and modern. EVENING STYLE TIP The party bag is back with a bang. Look for rainbow hues and sparkly embellishments for a clutch…

UK adults spend an average of six hours 25 minutes on their phones, TVs and laptops each day.* Get checked Visit your optician for an eye examination every two years, unless you have a more complicated eye-health history – your optician can advise what’s best. ‘Your eyes don’t often hurt when something is wrong, which is why regular examinations are essential,’ says dispensing optician Andy optician Andy Hepworth from essilor.co.uk, the UK’s leading maker of corrective lenses. ‘Many eye conditions don’t present symptoms straight away, and it’s not always easy to recognise when or if you need glasses,’ he says. Go outside Physical activity and exposure to vitamin D can all help eye health, and it’s good to have a break from near focus – such as staring at a…

Sharon Burke, 59, Leeds After clearing the dishes one evening in October 2007, I was ready to enjoy some time with my son James, then 11. ‘Fancy a film?’ I asked. ‘You pick,’ James grinned. It’d always been just me and James. He’d been born eight weeks premature in November 1995, and suffered from asthma. But while I worried, James coped well. A busy bee, he was always playing his beloved rugby league, or knocking about with his mates. Meanwhile, I juggled work as a regional coordinator around childcare, so I cherished our time together, especially film nights. One day in the summer of 2008, James, then 13, called me at work. ‘I can’t breathe,’ he rasped. Panicking, I raced him to the doctor’s, and they found James’ oxygen levels…

Sex is a snoozefest Q My wife and I want to start a family but our sex life is so boring and just about conception. It only happens if she’s ovulating, and she pushes me away at any other time. She doesn’t even want a cuddle any more. This is beginning to make me angry and I’m questioning if I even want a baby with her. She won’t admit there’s a problem. What do I do? Paul, 36 A Flippin’ Nora, I’m sorry it’s turned into this. It’s not that unusual for women to focus on their most fertile times when they want to conceive, and you may feel a bit used – which is normal, too. Right now, her maternal instincts are her only priority. It’s time to communicate…

Michelle Bufton, 54, from Nantwich Skipping around the playground, I raced after my school friends in an energetic game of tag. ‘My turn!’ someone yelled. I was only 5 – not a care in the world. Well, there was something I couldn’t ignore. I was bigger than all my classmates. No surprise, really. At home, I’d eat mountains of gammon with cheese sauce, and I loved sweets. Mum worried. ‘I’ve given you plenty of fresh fruit,’ she’d say, handing me a packed lunch. But I’d just sneak packets of crisps when I got home. My weight crept up, and by my 18th birthday, I was 5ft 5in and a size 16. I’d developed such an unhealthy relationship with food, I yo-yo dieted for the next decade. I tried everything from…

Q How do cashback websites work? S Thorpe, Slough A When you’re online s hopping, check if you can get cashback. To do this, sign up to one or more cashback websites, which should be free to join. Then log in and search for the company you want to buy from, to see if any deals are available. If they are, click on the cashback website’s link to visit that retailer. Your visit will be tracked and, after your purchase, the cashback will be put in your cashback account once it’s processed – though it can take weeks or months before it arrives. Cashback isn’t guaranteed, so never choose it over the best deal. For more info, visit moneysaving expert.com.…

Frank Body Express-O Coffee Scrub, £14.95, frankbody.com Get smooth skin and help tone lumps and bumps with this incredibly stimulating, coffee-infused body scrub. The whipped texture makes it easy to apply so no need for a messy clean-up afterwards! Sanctuary Spa Body Scrub, £6.50, Boots Rough, dry skin totally disappears after using this exfoliating scrub. The hardworking pumice granules do a fab job of sloughing off dead skin and smoothing out bumps. Focus on notoriously dry spots like elbows and knees to really feel the benefits. Sunday Rain Scrub Away Body Scrub in Acai Berry, £6, Superdrug Perfect for polishing away dull skin or removing faded false tan, this scrub is a must-have during the summer months. It leaves skin glowing and smooth, and the acai berry scent is gorgeous…

• Bob Broberg did call the police when his daughter first disappeared, but didn’t consider kidnapping. Instead, he feared they’d had a car accident. • After the first abduction, Berchtold told Jan’s parents he’d not wanted to wed her, but had to, as authorities wouldn’t let him back over the Mexican border. • Bob’s ‘indiscretion’ with Berchtold wasn’t public until a documentary-maker got hold of FBI documents and court transcripts. • The Brobergs retracted their affidavits saying Jan went willingly, four days after signing them. • During filming, another alleged victim claimed Berchtold tried to convince her she was a ‘princess from a different planet’, but didn’t want to be filmed. • Gail Berchtold filed for divorce and moved away with their kids before the second kidnapping. • Jan married…

Anyone from your town in the list this week..? Chat winners issue 17 (29 April) £1001 CASH D Steel, Carmarthen £1000 CASH G Richardson, Preston £500 CASH K Walsh, Doncaster; A Stenson, Leeds £250 CASH V Jefferson, Liverpool £150 CASH G Halford, Retford £100 CASH C Grenside, Bootle; J Davidson, Rainham; J Hay, Glasgow; G Barfoot, Middlesbrough; N Gamham, Colchester £60 CASH E Dorr, Birmingham £50 CASH M Greatorex, Cheadle; M Moffatt, Par; R Fortnam, Kidderminster £30 CASH M Lenaghan, Salisbury; J Lucy, Stevenage; A Head, Southampton; K Tiplady, Hartlepool; K MacKenzie, Dingwall £25 CASH M Flannigan, Glasgow; C Senior, Dewsbury; L Hunt, Taunton; S Cryer, Rochdale; A Hearn, Rugeley; S Trevarthan, St Austell; W Webster, Hayle; D Ring, Luton; P Hutchins, Kettering Chat PUZZLE 01 34922 Chat PUZZLE 02…

I loved all these inspiring slogans on display when I visited Brisbane City Hall in November 2019. The theme was equality and anti-slavery for women. Janet Dandy, Burnley Oh, to be able to nap at any time! My adorable 12-year-old border terrier Dixie always finds the comfiest spot in the room to go to sleep. Angie Jacobs, Helsby Strike a pose! My 6-week-old daughter, Kayla, has already perfected her pout for the camera. Just like her mama. Sarah Morrison, Bracknell Judging by their faces, I think it’s safe to say that my two youngest, Joshua, 7, and Poppy, 5, had lots of fun on the beach at Ladram Bay. Laura Wilcox, Glastonbury Earlier this year, I entered a face painting competition and I am so happy to say I managed…

What connects actor Nicole Kidman and Barack Obama? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the three-word prize answer. ACROSS 1 Colin _, actor in The King’s Speech (5) 4 Type of meat (4) 6 Picture sent while on holiday (8) 13 Places of work (7) 14 Made a noise like a horse (7) 15 Sulky (5) 16 Unit of land area (4) 17 Fixed allowance (6) 18 Spud (6) 20 Finger jewellery (4) 21 Kitchen garment (5) 22 Scandinavian country (6) 25 English county (8) 28 Moves to music (6) 30 Wrote down (5) 32 Last month of the year (8) 34 Abduct for ransom (6) 35 Reflected sound (4) 38 Less difficult (6) 39 City in the Middle East (5) 40…

Jan Ellis, 69 As I showed my brother the photo, he roared with laughter. ‘How many bottles of hairspray are holding that thing up?’ Ed, 57, chuckled. My school reunion was coming up and I’d been psyching myself up to attend. It’d been 45 years since I’d left, aged 17, and now, me and Ed had been sharing a drink while chatting about the old days. My graduation photo was the one causing the hilarity – due to my 1960s beehive. Inspired by Diana Ross and The Supremes, I’d make sure my bouffant was immaculate back then. Backcombing furiously before setting it with Aqua Net hair lacquer. I’d managed to get it down to a tee, spending just 10 minutes every morning on it. I barely washed it, either, as…

Are all warts the same? Q My partner has a wart on his finger. Should I make him wear gloves when he touches my vagina during sex? Carrie-Ann, Port Talbot A A wart is a skin infection caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), and you’re right that it can be passed on through skin contact. But there are more than 100 different types of HPV and they’re quite picky about which part of your body they infect. HPV strains that affect your fingers or toes, for example, are very unlikely to infect your vulva or vagina to cause genital warts. It’s not impossible, and it might be wise for your partner to ask his chemist for wart treatment, but the risk is so low that you wouldn’t usually expect him…

SHOELACE STRANGLER In February 2002, Samantha Barton, 16, invited George Green, 16, and Peter Newbery, 23, to her flat in Leece Lodge halfway house to smoke cannabis. She said she had cocaine hidden at the flat, and the following day, Newbery returned to steal the drugs. He stabbed and sexually assaulted Samantha and George, then strangled them with shoelaces. Newbery left Samantha’s body in her flat and dumped George’s in nearby scrubland. Blood on the shoelaces linked him to the crime, and he was convicted of murder, jailed for at least 20 years. SENT TO THE GALLOWS Tony Teare, 22, was found guilty of killing Corrine Bentley, also 22, in 1991, after allegedly being offered £600 to do so. He wanted to pay off a bank overdraft. He lured Corrine…

Egg and spring greens fried rice A quick, hearty and satisfying dish, packed with flavour. SERVES 2 PREP TIME 5 MINS COOK TIME 10 MINS • 1tbsp sunflower oil • 2 eggs, beaten • 3 stalks of spring greens, finely sliced • 2 spring onions, finely chopped • 1 x 250g sachet ready-cooked rice For the dressing: • 2tbsp soy sauce • 1tbsp sesame oil • 1 bunch coriander, roughly chopped • 1tbsp sesame seeds • Juice and zest of 1 lime • Sliced chilli, optional 1 Heat the oil in a pan, then tip in the eggs and swirl them around to cover the base of the pan to make a sort of egg pancake. When cooked through, slide onto a plate and set aside. 2 Cook the greens and…

Aries 21 March-20 April It’s a great time to clear out the garden shed and bin or recycle anything you no longer need. You might be planning to turn your shed into a bar! • Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May You have a project on the go and have asked a neighbour to help, as two heads are better than one and between you there will be some ingenious ideas. • Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Planning a garden party? Make a list, invite a few of your friends, dress up, enjoy a cucumber sandwich or a cream tea and a catch-up in the sunshine. • Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July You may have been…

Q I get incredibly dry lips in the summer even when I’m wearing lip balm everyday, where am I going wrong? Veronica Childs, 53, Whitby A Putting lip balm on every day is great, but if it doesn’t contain SPF, then you may be doing more harm than good. The skin on our lips is already very sensitive and adding balm, without sun protection, is like putting oil on, then lying in the sun. By doing this, your lips will burn and become dry, flaky and sore – not a good idea if you want to minimise burning and sun damage! By using a product like Hello Sunday The One For Your Lips SPF50, £5, cultbeauty.co.uk, which has a high factor of sun protection, your lips will stay hydrated and…

CLOSING DATE FOR ALL ENTRIES IS 10 AUGUST (Three days later for postal entries) 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…

Sinead Fitzgibbon, 44, Ascot Sitting opposite the doctor, I explained I’d been having strange aches and pains. It’d started in my hands, spread through my limbs. ‘It’s just growing pains,’ the doctor suggested. I’d taken his word for it. After all, I was 11, so it made sense. Only, as the years passed, the pains never went away. During my school years, then uni, I also suffered with fatigue. After graduation, I started a job in investment banking. It was stressful, with long hours. And the pains and aches worsened. At times, I was in total agony. ‘Even getting out of bed is a struggle,’ I cried to the doctors. But it felt like I was fobbed off time and again. Finally, when I was 25, I walked into the…

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 Miriam Harthill, Stourport on Severn, Worcs ACROSS 1 Hand width 2 Body of traditions and knowledge 3 Highest part 4 Organic material DOWN 1 Hit or strike 2 Head of the Catholic Church 3 Region or part of a place 4 Immediately after WIN 5x £25 PUZZLE 6 Your answer: HALF & HALF What type of bourbon-enriched sponge cake is the official dessert of the American state of Alabama? 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.…

Named for a town in its northern regions, the nakfa is the currency of which country? 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. FILL ME IN Your answer: WIN £100 Puzzle 14 CIRCLE TIME Which volcano is known in the local area’s language as Muncibeddu? Fit the words into the grid, then read down the letters in the shaded circles. 3 letters CAR DAM DUO EGO ERA INN JAR MUD URN YEW 4 letters EDGE FETA GOLF OUZO POEM THAW THUS 5 letters COCOA SHRUG SKULL 6 letters HANDED INJURY NARROW POTATO REUSED SYSTEM 8 letters WASHROOM Your answer: WIN £100 Puzzle 15 TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details…

3 WAYS TO... protect against identity theft Stay one step ahead of fraudsters trying to steal your identity, says Amber Burridge, head of fraud intelligence at Cifas. 1 Keep personal documents safe ‘If you lose documents containing your details, like a passport or bank statement, fraudsters could use these to commit identity fraud, so keep them safe,’ warns Amber. ‘And when disposing of these, ensure they can’t be read or reused by anyone, such as by shredding them. ‘Set your social media accounts to private and beware of sharing personal details; information like your pet’s name or mother’s maiden name are often answers to security questions. If a fraudster knows these details, they may be able to gain access to your accounts.’ 2 Beware of phishing attempts ‘Criminals have used…

Farmologie Body Wash in Moro Orange, £5.99, childsfarm.com The zesty, citrus scent of this body wash is so invigorating in the morning. It leaves skin feeling cleansed and hydrated, rather than stripped, and has been formulated for the most sensitive skins. Velvotan Tanning Back Applicator, £5.99, Boots Fake tanning your own back no longer requires contortionist levels of maneuvering the tanning mitt or shouting to another for help. With this applicator you’ll easily get to hard-to-reach places singlehandedly. Essence Pretty Fast Nail Polish in 02, £1.30, wilko.com Finish your manicure in record time, with a quickdrying nail polish like this one from Essence. There’s no need to worry about smudges as it dries in just 40 seconds. Catrice Lift Up Volume & Lift Waterproof Mascara, £4.99, justmylook.com Oily or hooded…