Table of contents for 21-May-2020 in Chat

Charlotte grew up without her mum and needed to take drastic action to spare her kids the same fate (p22). Former art student Hannah stumbled into a job that’s creepy, but fascinating (p16). And facing multiple murder charges, the man in the dock gave a truly shocking excuse (p14) If it’s fun and distraction you’re after, check out our board game round-up (p42), challenge the kids to our Skoolz Out! quiz (p32) or get stuck into our prize puzzles. Plus so much more. Stay safe and well this week. During this worrying time, we wish all of our readers good health. We hope Chat offers some welcome distraction. If you’re staying in and don’t want to miss out on your copy, you can download an issue from the App Store…

Working with actual dead bodies isn’t for the faint hearted, but spare a thought for the forensic entomologists who investigate the maggots and flies living in the bodies of murder victims that have been left to decompose.Once investigators have taken evidence from the grisly scene of a murder, the cleaners have to be called in. This messy and unpleasant job is also not without risks, with the potential for picking up diseases like hepatitis. Jim Harrison, 61, spends his days milking snakes for their venom by squeezing their deadly fangs. The venom extracted can be used to create anti-venom, to treat pain and clotting disorders, and for research into diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.During his working life, he’s been bitten countless times by the slippery reptiles, and has ended up…

Time for a bum pick-me-up! Q My bottom’s dropped! I’ve always been proud of my pert butt… How can I get it back? Nancy, Bootle A A pert behind depends on two things – firm gluteal (buttock) muscles and not too much flab. After your 40s, muscles start to shrink and your buttock muscles are no exception, especially if you spend a lot of time sitting. As you grow older, especially after menopause, fat accumulates around your middle and buttocks, leading to the sagging that people unkindly call a dropped bottom. But it’s not inevitable! Careful eating to keep a healthy weight will reduce flab, and exercises will tone gluteal muscles and combat the loss of muscle bulk. Try leg presses, or squats and lunges with weights – but running,…

Curling up on the sofa, I turned to my grandma Jacqueline, then 57. ‘Where’s Mummy?’ I asked. It was 1997, I was only 5. For as long as I could remember, my grandparents’ house was home. Grandma flashed a look at my grandad Thomas, 61. Then both of them sighed. ‘We’ll tell you when you’re older,’ they said eventually. And it was only when I was in my teens that I learned the truth. When I was just 3, my mum had died suddenly. With my dad out of the picture, I had gone to live with my grandparents. They made sure my childhood was a happy one. Spoiled me like all grandparents do. But raised me right in the process. Grandma always dished up healthy dinners for us to…

Heinz soups first went on sale in the UK at Fortnum and Mason in London in 1910. Chicken and mushroom stroganoff SERVES 4 PREP TIME 5 MINS COOK TIME 25 MINS • 200g white basmati rice• 2tbsp olive oil• 4 chicken breasts• 2 onions, diced• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped• 400g sliced button mushrooms • Brandy(optional, to taste)• 2 x 400g tins of Heinz Cream of Mushroom Soup• 200g green beans• 4tbsp Greek yogurt 0% fat 1 Cook the rice according to the packet, leave to rest with the lid on the pan. 2 Add the oil to a deep pan and fry the chicken breasts on a high heat until brown and crispy on the outside. Take out of the pan and set aside. Add the onion, garlic and…

Aries 21 March-20 April Bag the bargain of the century this week, Aries, by going online and looking for those special offers. Get ready to hear news of an engagement or marriage. • Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May Love is likely to hit you right between the eyes when someone from the past steps forward and starts apologising. Don’t be too quick to jump back in. • Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Watch what you say over the phone this week, or someone may get the wrong end of the stick. A new friendship will take over your daily routines. • Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July Finding inventive ways to contact your nearest and dearest…

WIN £500 Puzzle 18 The answers to all but one of these quiz questions can be found hidden in this wordsearch grid, reading forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally. To help you, we’ll tell you the answers are in alphabetical order in each section. However, one answer can’t be found in the grid. This is your prize puzzle answer. THE SILVER SCREEN – NORTH 1 Who played Roger Thornhill, on the run after a case of mistaken identity, in Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest? (4,5) 2 The North Island of which country was used to film Hobbiton, Rivendell and Mount Doom for the Lord of the Rings films? (3,7) 3 The 2009 Richard Curtis comedy about a 1960s pirate radio station broadcasting from a ship in the North Sea is called The…

£25 for any photos that we use on Picture Perfect. They must not have been sent to any other publication and you must include written permission from a child’s parent/s or guardian/s. Post to Picture Perfect, Chat, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP, or email chat_magazine@ti-media.com Unfortunately, we can’t return photos without a SAE. And please don’t forget to include your full address and a contact number.…

Apart from monarchs and mythological figures, which person has appeared on a Bank of England £1 note? The answer to each clue begins with the last letter of the preceding answer. The shaded squares spell out the prize answer. WIN £150 Puzzle 2 1 A colour (6) 2 An Australasian marsupial (7) 3 Juvenile (5) 4 Drinking vessel (5) 5 Flood defences or ballast (8) 6 School bag (7) 7 Ancient language (5) 8 Songbird (11) 9 Professional (6) 10 Bird’s claw (5) 11 Integer, digit (6) 12 __ of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones film (7) 13 Russian tea urn (7) 14 Soft fruit (9) 15 US national park (11) 16 US TV crime drama starring Lucy Liu (10) Your answer:…

Grabbing a toy car from her older brother, Kenni, then 2, trotted away. My little girl’s mouth was turned up in a cheeky grin. I knew that look well! Her big brothers, Jackson, 5, and Cason, 4, ran after her into the garden. Playful shouts and screams erupted as the boys tried to prise the toy from Kenni’s hands. That was my Kenni all over – the naughty little sister keeping her brothers on their toes. Cheeky and energetic, she was a lovable menace. Loved pretty dresses, but had a tomboy edge. Her favourite fancy-dress outfit was a Minnie Mouse dress with the famous cute ears and red spotty bow. Only, she’d put her unique spin on it by carrying around a toy dagger. ‘That’s my girl!’ I laughed as…

After nine days of testimony, the jury reached a unanimous verdict of guilty on all charges. After the verdict was read out, Godbolt said he ‘prayed to be a better man’. ‘But the devil came to kill and destroy. He wasn’t going to let that be. My life came to a screeching halt on that night. I couldn’t fight the battle that was raging inside me,’ he said. He told the court that he believed that his daughter was in danger from her relatives. At that moment, someone from the public gallery told him to ‘shut up’. Four of the convictions of capital murder carried the death penalty, but the jury had to agree unanimously for this to happen. In February this year, Willie Cory Godbolt was sentenced to death.…

Walking onto the Maternity ward, I could feel excitement bubbling inside me. It was January 2019, the day of our 20-week scan. And, with any luck, by the time we left, we’d know the sex of our baby. Me and my partner Simon, then 42, were secretly hoping for a girl. Had already picked the perfect name – Ada. And, to our delight, the sonographer soon confirmed we were indeed having a little miss. So far, my pregnancy seemed to be textbook. But then the sonographer said she couldn’t get a clear picture of our baby’s stomach. ‘It’s just because she’s at a funny angle,’ she assured. So we booked another scan for a week later, and then another. At the third attempt, a doctor noticed I had more amniotic…

GLASS-EYED KILLER On 18 September 2012, PCs Nicola Hughes, 23, and Fiona Bone, 32, were called to a house in Manchester after the report of a burglary. When they arrived, they were attacked with a gun and a grenade. Both died. Dale Cregan, a well-known criminal with a glass-eye, handed himself in at a police station shortly afterwards. In court, Cregan admitted murdering not only the two officers, but also father and son David and Mark Short. He was ordered to spend the rest of his life in prison. ARMED JEWELLERY RAID Robbers on motorbikes stormed Brent Cross Shopping Centre in London on 6 November 2012. Armed with bats and axes, they smashed into a jewellery shop and swiped a haul worth up to £2million, including Cartier and Rolex watches.…

Folding a sleepsuit, I popped it on top of the pile of tiny clothes next to the new pushchair. ‘I think we’ve got everything we need,’ I smiled to my boyfriend Dean, then 28. It was late 2014 and we were expecting a little boy in a few months. Dean and I met back in 2012 while both working at the same restaurant. After moving in together in early 2014, we decided that having a baby was the next step. ‘It’ll happen when it happens,’ we agreed. And we didn’t have to wait long. In June 2014, we’d found out I was pregnant and couldn’t have been happier! But, sadly, at just 12 weeks, I suffered a miscarriage. Dean and I were absolutely devastated. It meant when a pregnancy test…

DRAMABOX-SET SPECIAL Britbox There is a treasure trove of BBC, C4, ITV and Channel 5 programmes on this subscription service, with a mix of dramas from the 1960s right up to the present day. As well as more recent hits, including The Durrells, Downton Abbey and Broadchurch, there are classic series such as Upstairs Downstairs, Brideshead Revisited and Boys from the Blackstuff, plus top crime dramas A Touch of Frost, Inspector Morse and Vera. For soap fans, there are classic episodes of Coronation Street and EastEnders. BBC iPlayer To keep us occupied in lockdown, the BBC has put a whole host of drama box sets back on to its catch-up service, including all 10 series of the British spy drama Spooks. Also on offer are 12 series of Doctor Who,…

Bring the TV show to your home. Taskmaster The Board Game, £20, John Lewis & Partners Just like the original, but with double-sided cards for a new twist. Uno Flip!, £7, thetoyshop.com Discover nature’s naughty side. Don’t Be a Dik Dik, £8.99, amazon.co.uk Match the pictures to the words to create the funniest memes. What Do You Meme?, £27.99, amazon.co.uk You’ll need to be quick to win this colourful game, complete with light-up pods. Tap It!, £30, Argos How well do you really know each other? Mr & Mrs Family Edition, £20, menkind.co.uk Sing your heart out in this talent contest. Carpool Karaoke Game, £17, Asda Dare to reveal your deepest, darkest secrets? The Lie Detector Game, £14.97, George Home Huff and puff your balls along the track. Puff Ball, £20, The Entertainer Solve the…

Q should I apply my skincare in? Helen Hasham, 52 A As a general rule of thumb, A you should be applying your skincare in order of viscosity – in other words, from thin formulas to thicker ones. After cleansing, start with your hydrating or decongesting face mask, such as the Alex Steinherr X Primark Pollution Solution City Mask, £3. Following this, a toner such as L’Oréal Paris Fine Flowers Toner, £5.99, is fantastic for removing any last impurities. An eye cream should be applied next – try the Simple Kind To Eyes Soothing Eye Balm, £4.02, to reduce puffiness. Your next step is a serum such as The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid Serum, £5.90. Finally, apply a moisturiser such as Olay Total Effects 7-in-1, £14.99, for perfectly prepped skin ready for…

6 issues for £1, continuing at £12.49 every 3 months* 6 issues for £1, continuing at £7.99 every 3 months* 6 issues for £1, continuing at £18.49 every 3 months* 6 issues for £1, continuing at £7.99 every 3 months* 6 issues for £1, continuing at £19.99 every 3 months* Subscribe from only £9.49 every 6 months** GET IT BEFORE THE SHOPS • DELIVERED DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR • CANCEL AT ANYTIME • NEVER MISS AN ISSUE Subscribe online at magazinesdirect.com/60AN Or by phone 0330 333 1113 Quote Code: 60AN Lines open Monday - Saturday 8am - 6pm UK time Final closing date for al orders Wednesday 30 September 2020. Orders will start with the next available issue – please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. All prices are…

The 1990 film Goodfellas, directed by Martin Scorsese, is based on a true story and Pileggi’s novel Wiseguy. It follows local-boy-turned-gangster Henry Hill (played by Ray Liotta) and his friends, Tommy Devito (Joe Pesci) and James Conway (Robert De Niro.) As they work their way up in the crime world, Hill must choose either to keep going to get the life he wants, or to turn in Tommy and Jimmy to save himself. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards and won Best Film and Best Director at the BAFTAS in 1990. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest films in the gangster genre, with films and TV series emulating its style, including cult classic Pulp Fiction.…

Chat winners issue 8 (20 February 2020)  £1,001 CASH F Stevens, Faversham  £1,000 CASH S Frisby, Stoke-on-Trent  £500 CASH M Redpath, Dereham;  P Butler, Norwich  £250 CASH N Dixon, Barnsley £150 CASH D Gray, Pershore £100 CASH J Sherlock, Sandiacre; M Murphy, Liverpool;  B Miller, Gosport; B McNally, North Shields;  H Blake, South Humberside £60 CASH D Bandoni, Carlisle  £50 CASH H Hunt, Gloucester;  J Stewart, Newton Aycliffe;  E Duckworth, Darlington  £30 CASH M Watson, Glasgow;  M Anderson, Peterborough;  P Hamby, Urmston;  S Kelly, Exeter; S Minto, Newcastle upon Tyne  £25 CASH L Poplett, Bridgwater;  M Heaton, Bristol;  M Jones, Haverhill;  C O’Hagan, Glasgow;  L Emmerson-Finch, Burniston;  M Gilliland, Cheltenham;  A Whitton, Halifax;  B Poole, Bolton;  C Bailey, Greatstone Any one from your town in the list this week..? PUZZLE…

Standing outside the Tube station, my eyes darted from person to person. Any minute… And then there she was, my sister’s beaming smile shining out. ‘Hiya!’ she called, arms outstretched to me. Antoinette, then 51, never failed to lift my spirits. It was January 2017, and every week she’d come from her home in Battersea, south London, to mine in Kilburn, north London. We strolled, arm-in-arm, back to my flat, where me and Nan, as we all called her, chatted over endless cups of coffee. I loved our time together, us two and our disabled brother Paul, 47, who lived with me. Just like old times. But we hadn’t always been this close. We’d been brought up in Ireland, our parents had 12 children. But sadly, when we were living…

In Charles Perrault’s collection of fairy tales, Little Poucet escapes from what creature in seven-league boots? Make three nine-letter words using all of these three-letter sections and enter them in the grid as the starter letters indicate. Then make an anagram of the letters in the yellow squares to form the prize puzzle answer. OGY OGN INA ENT  BOL  MYT ESE HOL  ARG Your answer: WIN 4x £25 Puzzle 3 TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

WIN £1,001 Puzzle 5 Who has Miranda Hart said is her hero? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the prize puzzle answer. ACROSS 11 Character played by Jane Leeves in Frasier (6) 12 Mass of snow that falls down a mountainside (9) 13 Cudgel (4) 14 Actor who plays Indiana Jones (8,4) 15 Additional (5) 16 I have found it! (6) 17 Cockerel (7) 18 High-speed railway vehicle (6,5) 20 Holy person (5) 22 Condiments shelf (5,4) 24 Entice (5) 28 People who practice law (7) 29 Harshly or hoarsely loud (7) 32 Series of eight notes (6) 34 Car’s storage compartment (5,3) 36 Ominous (8) 37 __ Freeman, actor (6) 39 Novel by Daphne du Maurier (7) 40 Jam flavour (7) 45…

Appy & healthy With tools and resources to help you to stay calm, Happy Not Perfect is the go-to guide for coping with stressful situations. Functions include ‘checking in with yourself’ and advice on handling all sorts of everyday problems. Available free on App Store and Google Play. Swap and see Trying to cut back on alcohol but miss the taste? New Eisberg Merlot is made in exactly the same way as your regular red wine, but with the alcohol gently removed at the end. It tastes just the same, meaning you can stick to your health kick without the sacrifice (Ocado, £3.50). In the wrong size shoes? Ever squeezed into a pair of heels and regretted it? A study showed it takes three and a half days for feet…

Aloo gobi is an Indian dish that combines potatoes with what other vegetable? To find out, solve the puzzle. Add a letter anywhere in each of the boxed-off words to fit the clue, eg, Summarise = REAP + C = RECAP. Write the added letter in the space provided. Read down the added letters to spell out the prize puzzle answer. WIN £50 Puzzle 9 Summarise Around First appearance Governed Foundation Chip Bread ingredient Flogs Knit Unleash Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

In the 1986 French movie Jean de Florette, starring Yves Montand and Gérard Depardieu, what’s the name of Jean’s daughter, for whom the film’s sequel is titled? Solve the crossword, then read down the yellow shaded squares to spell out the prize puzzle answer. ACROSS 1 _ Heard, actor and ex-wife of Johnny Depp (5) 4 Constituent of chromosomes (1,1,1) 5 Fish eggs (3) DOWN 1 _ Murray, tennis player (4) 2 Facial hair (5) 3 Black bird (5) WIN £50 Puzzle 13 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/win…

Sons don’t know my secret Q I’m happily married, but regularly go away with a man I love. He and my wife are happy with the situation. A couple of months ago, I was in a restaurant with my man, and my son’s best friend saw us. I’m sure he clocked us, as we’re very affectionate. He looked as stunned as me! My wife says we should tell our boys. I don’t want to upset them, and don’t think I can handle the questions. Should I ask my son’s friend to keep quiet? Bernard, 51 A Absolutely not! You’re being a tad selfish, love. Sit down with your sons, tell them their friend saw you. Your boys are going to find out somehow, so it’s best if it comes from you.…

3 ways to… free up your finances Adam Bullock, UK director of topcashback.co.uk shares his advice for saving cash during this tough time. 1 Start small If you want to make a financial overhaul, it’s best to start small. Instead of scaring yourself with investments and credit cards, make little steps. Start by always looking for discounts and cashback opportunities to boost your savings, then think about how to make larger contributions to your savings or debts. Then, take on bigger plans like housing deposits or investments. 2 Tidy your finances Keeping a track of, or constantly ‘tidying’, your money is the perfect tool for getting your finances where you want them to be. Daily budgeting and making the most of money-tracking or saving apps will give you greater control on…

Perry Mason SKY ATLANTIC Matthew Rhys is set to star in the iconic role of defence lawyer Perry Mason. Set in Los Angeles during the Great Depression, the drama begins with Mason investigating a child kidnapping gone wrong and uncovering a fractured, crime-filled city. The First Team BBC2 Former Waterloo Road star Jack McMullen plays one of three young footballers at a fictional Premier League club in this comedy. The six-parter follows the lads as they deal with a volatile Italian manager, an eccentric American chairman and an ineffectual coach. Long Lost Family: Born Without a Trace ITV Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell will return with a second tear-jerking series of the Long Lost Family spin-off. They’ll be helping more people abandoned as babies as they unlock the secrets of…

Standing on top of Senlac Hill in Hastings, I took my place in front of the camera. ‘Three…two… one… Action!’ my dad Martin, then 39, said in his best director’s voice. It was April 2000 and my homework was on the Battle of Hastings. Most other kids in my class would’ve been spending their Easter holidays writing essays. Not me! ‘That would be boring!’ Dad had told me. So, instead, he filmed me doing a news report on the historical battle, while he pretended to be the next Steven Spielberg. Dad was always coming up with these wacky ideas. He and my mum had divorced when I was 4, so I only saw him during the school holidays. But each time I visited, it was like one big party. Eating…

New York’s JFK International is normally a hugely busy international airport. But it wasn’t the crowds of travellers that interested James ‘Jimmy the Gent’ Burke in JFK, back in 1978. It was the money. Only a few knew that German airline Lufthansa flew in currency to its cargo terminal there. Among that few was Louis Werner. A worker at the airport, he was deep in debt to bookmaker Martin Krugman, owing a huge $20,000 (around £16,000). Werner disclosed information about the cash flights to Krugman – and Krugman took this straight to Henry Hill, an associate of James Burke’s. And so a plan was set in motion. A team of six men would carry out a daring robbery… Tommy DeSimone, Angelo Sepe, Louis Cafora, Joe Manri, Paolo LiCastri and Robert…

TEXT Simply text CHATD 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 TI Media Limited and Chat. If you want to receive these, please end your text with TIOPTIN. Texting tips INTERNET Join our Chat Comp Club now and enter your puzzle answers directly online at our website address comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles Existing puzzles and prizes members may need to re-register, just click on the ‘Join now’ button once you are on the website. PHONE Simply call 0906 470 7003 For every call to our competition Lucky Line, we’ll donate 10p…