Table of contents for 22-Dec-2016 in Chat

GUILTY! The jury found Scott Watson guilty of both counts of murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 17 years before he could be considered for parole. Justice Heron said no-one knew the circumstances of the couple’s death – and it was too horrible to contemplate. ‘The agony of dying in one case must have been prolonged. To seize upon two young people was a grossly despicable piece of violence, probably sexually motivated, and the community is entitled to be protected.’ Watson appealed but was unsuccessful. He continues to protest his innocence.…

It started as a cold, turned into life-threatening septicaemia I discovered e-mails declaring his love for another woman Clutching my chest, I coughed and spluttered, wincing in pain. ‘You should get checked out,’ my husband Dale said, rubbing my back. I nodded. I’d had a nasty cold for a few weeks, couldn’t shift it. With two young children, I’d just got on with the school run and shopping. But Dale, then 34, was right. I’d known him since I was 14. He was best friends with my big brother, but I’d always fancied him. Seven years younger, I didn’t get a look-in – until 2006. Both adults, we started dating then. Our daughter was born in 2007, and we were married two years later. When our son arrived the following…

1 Andy Murray won the Wimbledon title for the second time. True or false? 2 The Queen celebrated a very special birthday this year. How old did she become? 3 Justin Bieber was the first artist to occupy the entire top three places on the UK singles chart in January. The songs were What Do You Mean? , Sorry and which other? 4 Which football team beat astronomical odds to win the Premier League title? 5 Which star finally won Best Actor at the Oscars after being nominated six times? 6 Wales stunned everyone by reaching what stage of ‘Euro 2016'? 7 Peggy Mitchell returned to EastEnders one last time in May. She was seen talking to the ghost…

1 Morrisons The Best Mini Pulled Beef Wellingtons, £3.50 Ten meaty-filled puff pastry treats. Delicious! 2 Iceland 16 Chicken & Chorizo Cups, £3 or 2 for £5 A rosette of wafer thin chorizo filled with chicken breast in a smoked paprika sauce. Yum! 3 Asda Extra Special DIY Treacle Gammon in Edible Spoons, 12 for £6 If you're out to make an impression, these will do it! A simple assembly job, space them out on a tray for maximum impact. 4 Asda Sprout & Cauliflower Baubles, £2.50 Six each of shredded sprouts or cauli, both combined with cheese and coated in crispy breadcrumbs. 5 Morrisons The Best Mini Beef Burger Sliders, £3.50 Ready assembled, all you have to do is heat up these 10 two-bite burgers. And then scoff them.…

Soon, I was gorging on 13,000 calories a day As my boyfriend loaded my plate with a hefty portion of mac ’n’ cheese, I licked my lips. ‘Eat up!’ he grinned. He loved watching me scoff food. At 32st, I was massive. But the more weight I gained, the more attractive he found me. And being a food lover, I was more than happy to gobble to my heart’s content. See, we had a feeder-gainer relationship. He’d encourage me to eat so that I’d gain weight. ‘I have fantasies about making you fat,’ he’d tell me. I was already big when I met him in 2000. And, over time, the weight piled on more and more. Seeing how much he fancied me boosted my confidence, though. ‘I want to become…

1 Sight-see in Salisbury Don't miss a visit to the cathedral. Built between 1220 and 1258, it has the tallest spire in the UK (123m/404ft). 2 Find fossils The Jurassic Coast runs westwards from Studland Bay and includes Durdle Door, a natural arch carved from the rock, and the pretty, almost circular Lulworth Cove. 3 Stay somewhere special La Fosse, in the village of Cranbourne, is a restaurant with six cosy bedrooms. Stay for a delicious meal cooked by chef-owner Mark, or book the entire place for a private party. 4 Poundbury It's not easy to find this very posh new town, because Prince Charles, whose vision it is, doesn't believe in signs! The latest building phase includes a scaled-down replica of Buckingham Palace. 5 See the Hovis hill Remember…

I was so happy, I couldn’t stop smiling! Racing around the shops, my hubby Richard, 49, and I had left everything a little last-minute! But, with Richard working offshore, I’d waited for him to get home to shop. The Sunday before Christmas Day 2015, we hit the shops – hard. First we shopped for presents, then we snapped up a turkey and all the trimmings. Plus lots of extra treats for our four kids – our eldest, 23, twins, 21, and youngest son, 17. Even though they’re all grown up, we love spoiling them. Finally, we were done! Back home, we were exhausted. Richard headed up for an early night, while I chilled out with a few games on Chat Mag Bingo. I loved playing bingo online. I’d played it…

I was always the life and soul. Forcing a smile... Soon I’d forgotten what it was like to have a takeaway Chocolate bars, bonbons, marshmallows, pralines, peppermint creams... I honestly don’t think there was a sweet I wouldn’t eat. I’d been that way since school, spending my dinner money on massive bags of Maltesers and giant bars of Dairy Milk… I’d feast on them guiltily between lessons and at break times. And I did feel guilty. First would come the sugar high. Then came the regret. I knew eating like that was bad for me. But I couldn’t stop myself. As for my weight, it just went up and up. ‘Let’s try something healthy for dinner tonight,’ Mum would suggest. She’d no idea it would make no difference, as I’d…

TREE-MENDOUS Try fitting this whopper in your living room! The world's largest Christmas tree structure, at a massive 419.91ft tall, was achieved in Brazil in 2009. The structure was decorated with 25,200 red-hot lights and 3,144 strobe lights. Just imagine the leccy bill! WHO ATE ALL THE…  very December, the E annual World Pie Eating Championship is held at Harry's Bar in Wigan. Held since 1992, the winner is the person who eats a standard 12cm-diameter pie in the fastest time. The world record stands at 23.53 seconds! A SHOE IN On Christmas Day in Czech Republic, single women predict romance with The Throwing of the Shoe tradition. An unmarried girl throws a shoe over her shoulder and towards the door. If the shoe lands with the toe pointing towards…

What I loved Chestnuts. Can't get enough! Slung into a dish of sprouts and bacon bits - heavenly! What hacked me off Knowing I've peaked too soon on the choccie yule log. And researching the perfect brandy butter. And, now I mention it, the mince pie sampling… There'll be trouble on the scales! What made me laugh If my so-called mates are to be believed, I agreed to dress up as an elf. (That second glass is always a risk…). So, I trust you not to look at any photos that may or may not be me, dressed like an aged extra from Lord of the Rings. Promise me! I wish you all a fairytale of a festive season!…

One of the twins was two weeks younger than the other! I’ve since learned that they beat odds of nine million to one Pulling a Christmas jumper over my huge baby bump, I couldn’t help but laugh. ‘The robin on my sweater looks like he ate too many mince pies!’ I giggled. It was Christmas 2013 and I was four days overdue with my first baby. By now, my feet ached, my back hurt and I was exhausted all the time. ‘The baby should be here any day now,’ my husband Lee, 31, told friends and family. Everyone wondered if I’d go into labour on Christmas Day. But by Christmas night, there was still no sign. After each day that passed, I grew more and more tired and irritable. ‘I…

‘Erm, it’sa bit... personal’ Donor worries Q I'd like to be an organ donor, but I'm put off by tales of people who are still alive when a surgeon takes their organs! Jean, 67 A That's all they are - tales! Even after a patient has died, doctors use additional tests to be sure they're not alive before they consider taking organs. Register at www.organdonation. nhs.uk. You could save a life! Stretch confusion Q I've started exercising, but my husband says I should do muscle stretches beforehand. Should I? Nikki, 37 A For years, coaches have recommended pre-exercise stretching to reduce the risk of muscle sprains. But studies have found there might be no benefit, and though stretches make you supple, they may temporarily weaken your muscles. Vaping concerns Q…

My heart felt full of love – but not quite full to capacity Lying in bed on my wedding night, I dreamt of the future. ‘So, how many kids shall we have?’ I asked my new hubby Simon, now 52. ‘One or two,’ he replied. ‘I was thinking five,’ I laughed. Simon’s jaw hit the floor. I’d grown up watching The Waltons on TV, always dreamed of having a big brood. Now I’d found my perfect man, I just needed the kids… Soon after, I fell pregnant with Jason. He’s 20 now! I loved being a mum, and it wasn’t long before baby number two Danielle, now 18, arrived. Life with a toddler and a newborn was chaotic, but I knew there was room in my heart for another. And,…

Lamb keema curry   Serves: 4 Prep: 10 min Cook: 25 min A glug of sunflower oil 1tsp cumin seeds 1 onion, finely chopped 1 green chilli, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, grated Knob of fresh ginger, peeled and grated 2tsp ground cumin 2tsp ground coriander 425g lean lamb mince ½ 400g tin chopped tomatoes 1 Oxo Stock Pots Juicy Lamb with Rosemary, Garlic & Red Wine 1tbsp brown sugar 100g defrosted peas Handful of mint leaves, chopped, plus sprigs to serve Salt 1 Heat oil in a large frying pan, add cumin seeds and fry for 1 min. Add onion and chilli and fry for 5 min over a high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Then add garlic, ginger, ground cumin and ground coriander.…

Save your signs We were passing a forest that sold Christmas trees and there were a few protesters outside with signs saying, ‘SAVE THE TREES’. But my observant 5-year-old Dylan asked, ‘Why are their signs made out of wood, then?’ Shona Lloyd, Clwyd Bad Santa Last year I took my 4-year-old son Tom to see Santa for the first time. After paying an extortionate fee and queuing for ages, Santa was a lad of no more than 20, who'd hardly even bothered with the costume! And my son's present? A chocolate bar! My advice to other parents is to tell your children that the real Santa is busy at this time of year, and that this chap is just one of his helpers. Bea Wilkinson, Clyst Hydon Resolution round-up Here…

Apricot & walnut cake Serves: 6 Prep: 15 min Cook: 45 min 125g self-raising flour 185g margarine or baking spread 55g walnut halves, finely chopped 185g caster sugar 3 large eggs 200g tinned apricots, drained and sliced 1 Preheat oven to 180C/ Gas 4, and grease and base line the bottom of an 18cm cake tin. 2 In a bowl, mix together flour, spread, walnuts and sugar, and then beat in eggs one at a time. Fold in apricots. 3 Spoon mixture into tin, level top and bake for 25-30 min until it is golden, risen and set. 4 Remove from tin and serve sliced, either warm with cream for pud or cold as a tea-time treat.…

When I heard my baby’s piercing cry, I burst into tears of joy Our little girl was fighting for her life, being kept alive by a machine I braced myself as the midwife scanned my baby bump. ‘Your baby looks very healthy,’ she smiled. I sighed with relief. I was 12 weeks pregnant, and should’ve been bouncing off the walls with excitement. Instead, I was full of anxiety and worry. See, the year before, in October 2014, tragedy had struck. At 24 weeks pregnant, I’d lost my first baby. Little Indi’s heart had just stopped beating. Doctors couldn’t explain why it’d happened. But me and my partner Darrell, 43, had been bereft. Indi had been our little miracle, as I suffer from endometriosis – the condition where cells like those…

Lucky 13? Matt Walker, 47, worried he'd be in the doghouse when he lost his engraved wedding ring days before his 13th wedding anniversary . He'd been swimming in Marine Lake, Clevedon, in August, with his two kids, when the white-gold band slipped off . After a frantic search of the eight-million-gallon murky lake, Mark learned it was to be drained two months later. So, enlisting the help of the Somerset Artefact Seek ers, he and five enthusiasts with metal detectors trudged through the thick, wet mud. After turning up lots of bottle tops, change and other metallic junk, club member Dave Bak er miraculously found the ring in the gloop . Matt said, ‘I bought a lottery ticket that night, but my luck didn't stretch that far…' A friend…

We picked out games, toys and treat for the kids Christmas is magical for us, especially as all our grandkids are under 10. They get so excited. Us, too! Every Christmas morning, my hubby Chris, 59, and I put on something festive and deliver their presents. In November last year, we’d just started making plans for the big day. One Sunday evening, I decided to relax with a few games on Chat Mag Bingo. I’d joined a few years earlier because, as a VAT manager, I spent a lot of my time travelling and rarely got home in time to meet my mates at the local bingo. Chat Mag Bingo was such a social site and I made loads of mates in the chat rooms. I’d had some big wins,…

To begin with, we thought it was food poisoning They said drastic amputation was Tom’s last chance December 1999 was a bit hectic for me and my hubby Tom. That month we were both turning 39, plus on top of Christmas, there was the New Millennium to celebrate. Our little Grace, 2, was so excited. Oh, and I was heavily pregnant, with the baby due on New Year’s Day! ‘So much fun to look forward to,’ Tom grinned, rubbing my swollen belly. We’d met at university, aged 18, but he’d had a girlfriend back then. Only, in 1995, when I was 32, Tom wrote to me out the blue. I remember you, do you remember me? his letter said. Stunned, I agreed to a drink. And we fell in…

Covered in tubes, Amelia-Rose looked so fragile Christmas was coming and I was getting fat! But not because of all the festive treats. I was six months pregnant with my first baby – a girl. Due in February 2016, me and my hubby Jordan, 26, couldn’t wait. Then, at a routine check at 28 weeks, doctors noticed my blood pressure was through the roof. Urine tests also revealed protein in my wee. Doctors believed I could have pre-eclampsia, which reduces blood flow through the placenta. It can restrict the baby’s growth. And scans showed my baby had stopped growing. So I was kept in West Suffolk Hospital and monitored for the next two hours. Tests showed my baby’s heart rate had dipped. ‘She’s in distress,’ a nurse said. ‘You’ll need…

Waitrose Indian Aloo Gobi Saag, 300g, £2.29 We were quite surprised just how hot this veggie side dish was. The potato, spinach and cauliflower mix certainly packs a punch! Morrisons Aloo Gobi Saag, 225g, £1.53 The potatoes almost mash as you tuck in, but with cauliflower in a tomato, ginger and cumin sauce, and with a naan to scoop it up, this makes a quick and filling veggie supper. Sainsbury's Aloo Saag, 300g, £1.75 Perfectly cooked, large chunks of potato in a mild spinach sauce that's aromatic rather than hot. NEW Aldi Specially Selected Curry Sauces, £1.09 Hot and spicy, creamy or mild - you choose. Just add your choice of meat and veg for the simplest ever curry. Easy!…

Serves: 12 Prep: 15 min Cook: 20 min 1 Preheat oven to 200C/Gas 6, and lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin. 2 Sift 150g self-raising flour and a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Stir in 75g grated Parmesan cheese together with 100g frozen spinach, defrosted and well-drained. 3 In another bowl, beat together 125ml milk, 1 egg and 2tsp wholegrain mustard with a hand whisk. Pour into the flour mixture and mix, then divide between the holes of the muffin tin. 4 Bake in the oven for 15 min or until golden brown - keep an eye on them, so they don't burn. Allow to cool in the muffin tin for a few min, and then serve warm, or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. TOP…

Mum was a carer, which suited her personality down to the ground What’s worse, he’s not even permanently banned from driving... CALL THAT JUSTICE?! • Drink-and-drug-fuelled driver behind the wheel • Killed Mum and Stepdad and tore family apart • Tiny sentence – he could be out before he’s 30 ‘Ta-da!’ I grinned, throwing back the changing-room curtain. ‘What do you reckon, then?’ ‘Give us a twirl,’ replied my mum Maria, 48. I spun around, showing off the dress I’d tried on. Mum and I were on a girly shopping spree with my sisters Chloe, then 14, and Lucy, then 10. The four of us were always off on trips together. I was 20, had moved out of our family home in Eastbourne to live with my boyfriend George, 25.…

The DNA results confirmed what we already knew It was hot. And really sunny. Me and Dad splashed around in the outdoor pool at Mablethorpe, then walked along the seafront eating our ice-creams. After, he handed me a passport-sized photo of him. ‘To remember me by,’ he said. I could see my gran, Mum’s mum, waiting for me over the road. It was time to say goodbye. ‘I love you, Dad,’ I said, giving him a hug. That was the last time I saw Dad – 20 years ago. Things hadn’t worked out with him and my mum, Sharon, now 47. Dad had left when I was about 3. And we hadn’t heard anything from him... Until, years later, we’d met at Mablethorpe, when me and Nan went for a…

I was terrified but determined to stay strong When I got the message on Plenty Of Fish, I recognised the face instantly. David! A friend had brought him along to my 24th birthday a few weeks earlier. Now he’d spotted me on the dating site and got in touch. How was your hangover after the party? he asked. We got chatting. David added me on Facebook and then, after a couple of weeks, he sent me another message. Do you want to go out one night? Soon after, we had our first date. I felt a real spark and, within weeks we’d become inseparable. Then, six months later, I missed my period. I bought a test and took it... Positive! David was as ecstatic as I was. Only, in November…

She tried to get away, but was trapped by her seatbelt THE CRIME On Boxing Day 2007, mum Rose Cobb was murdered by a gunman. Initially, it seemed like a robbery gone wrong. But then a hitman came forward to say he'd been paid to kill Rose…. THE STORY Late Boxing Day 2007, Detroit, Michigan. Fairy lights were twinkling in shop windows. Families were home, watching festive films. Meanwhile, Sergeant David Cobb, 38, and his wife Rose, 47, had ventured into the bitter cold for pharmacy supplies. But their shopping trip was about to take a tragic turn… While David got out of their minivan to go into the pharmacy, Rose waited in the passenger seat. Suddenly, a shadowy figure smashed her window with an iron bar. The man was…