Table of contents for 29 June 2023 in Chat

TRUE-LIFE Sitting in the clinic next to my mum Kim, then 38, I felt her squeeze my hand. Then the doc dealt a devastating blow. ‘You were born without a uterus,’ he said. Mum gasped, I blinked back tears. Inside, where my womb should be, was just an empty space… It was called MayerRokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, and was so rare no one knew what caused it. It was 2002, I was only 14. Mum had taken me to the docs because I’d not started my period. Now I was being told that while I had ovaries and could produce eggs, there was nowhere for them to go. My body would reabsorb them. ‘You’ll never get pregnant,’ the doctor said. The pain was crushing. But I pushed it down, refused to…

Q There’s a bright red lump on my lip. My dentist says it’s a pregnancy tumour and will go after I give birth, but is it dangerous? Fen, Knaresborough A Don’t be too alarmed by the word tumour, it just means a lump. Around one in 20 pregnant women develop a red fleshy swelling called a pregnancy tumour. Often a minor injury is the trigger, leading to an overgrowth of tiny capillary blood vessels which form a type of fleshy lump called a pyogenic granuloma. These can appear at any time, not just when you’re pregnant, but are more likely in pregnancy due to the action of hormones and can occur anywhere on your skin, particularly in or around your mouth. Pregnancy tumours are harmless, aren’t cancerous, don’t hurt and…

Zooming down the hill, my son Alfie, then 5, threw a cheeky smiled behind him. ‘Hurry up,’ he yelled. ‘I want to see the monkeys!’ ‘Wait for us!’ I shouted back. ‘Don’t go too fast!’ It was July 2019 and me and my hubby Paul, then 48, were visiting Paignton Zoo with Alfie. We’d hired him an electric wheelchair for the occasion – and he was loving his first taste of freedom! While I was pregnant with Alfie, he’d been diagnosed with a condition called hydrocephalus, a build up of fluid in his brain. We’d been advised he’d have no quality of life, told it’d be better to terminate. But look at him now! He had minor learning difficulties, took a bit longer to speak and his mobility was affected.…

Lost - and found! Steven Hydes was nicknamed Gary Gatwick after being found on a shelf at the airport aged just 10 days on 10 April 1986. Despite being formally adopted, as an adult, the now 37-year-old has made numerous appeals to find his family – and this year, he has! ‘After 15 years of searching I am happy to confirm that with the very hard work of genetic genealogists, we have been able to trace my birth family ’ he announced in April. Steven is now in touch with his biological dad and siblings. We’ve heard of airport reunions and we hope this one was worth the wait. Happy camper After three years of sleeping in a tent in his back garden, Max Woosey finally decided to go back…

Q My partner and I are about to buy a house together with my inheritance. Last night he said that he expected me to pay him back for stuff he buys for the house on his credit card. I’m already putting £20k into this house. And he earns more than me. Will he always be this tight and selfish? Dani, 28 A Listen here, flower. You need to urgently sit down with your fella and hash out everything. And I mean everything. How you’re going to divide bills, the mortgage and even who’s putting out the bins and scrubbing the loo. This is meant to be a partnership – that means you both make an effort to build your life. It’s not going to be a fun conversation but do it…

In December 2015, the largest example of what object measuring almost 524m3 was suspended in the Plaza de Los Martires in Toluca, Mexico? Unscramble each group of letters to discover six words associated with Mexico. Now fit them across the grid and you’ll spell out the answer to the question. 1 ALPO JANE 2 QUIET AL 3 COLIN ACHE 4 AHA CHU HUI 5 AI COT 6 MA CAGOULE WIN £75 Puzzle 17 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Spiced pear and Stilton tarts These sweet tarts make a great lighter dinner, served with a green salad. SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 20 mins ● 300g puff pastry ● 30g butter, melted ● ¼tsp ground cloves ● Pinch of ground allspice ● ¼tsp ground black pepper ● 2 pears, peeled, cored and sliced ● 75g Stilton, crumbled ● 1tsp thyme leaves, roughly chopped ● 30g walnut pieces, roughly chopped ● 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped (optional) You will need: ● 12cm round pastry cutter, or a saucer and sharp knife 1 Heat the oven to 180C Fan/ Gas 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly-floured surface to around the thickness of a £1 coin. Using the pastry cutter or a sharp-tipped knife to cut around a saucer as a…

PS…Heatless Curler Set, £3, Primark We’ve been impressed with the trend for heat-less curls. You can get really creative with the tools you use, from dressing-gown belts to socks, but this set will make things a lot easier. Clip the tube to the top of your head, wrap damp hair around the band in sections and secure with scrunchies. Leave on for a few hours before undoing – the result is bouncy, sleek waves, minus the heat damage. Superdrug Vitamin E Sheet Mask, £2.50 If you’ve overdone it on intensive ingredients like acids, retinol and exfoliants, soothing vitamin E can help bring your skin back from the brink. This sheet mask is just the antidote to sore, red complexions, and will calm skin immediately. Apply in the morning or evening,…

Chat winners issue 13 (30 March 2023) £1,001 CASH G Thompson, Carlisle £500 CASH K Binns, Harrogate D Fox, Chesterfield £250 CASH M Little, Maybole D Gray, Billingham £200 CASH S Kettley, Lincoln £100 CASH S Price, Watford C Howson, Addlestone K Glarvey, Liverpool £75 CASH C Brunton, Enfield £50 CASH D Larner, Chesterfield C Jarman, Market Harborough S Conroy, Shetland C Kenny, Enniskillen J Green, Stourbridge M Lowis, Hull £40 CASH A Ttofi, Fleet £30 CASH J Ealand, Sheffield M Marrow, Worksop £25 CASH L Foyster, Lincoln E Evans, Willenhall Anyone from your town in the list this week..? £20 CASH M Smith, Cannock Y Beesley, London J McGovern, Eastbourne S Birds, Matlock P Taylor, Wirral M Keyte, Bristol K Gascoigne, Crook G Gyselman, Thornton-Cleveleys M Hill, Berkhamsted Mrs…

ASHLEY KAYNE GOOLE, 35, FROM DONCASTER, SAYS: I’m nominating Charlotte Lister as my local hero. Since 2020, Charlotte, 34, has raised nearly £3,000 for the Samaritans, CoppaFeel and Daisy Chain. As a keen runner, she has taken part in the Cancer Research UK Race for Life twice, the Cancer Research UK Pretty Muddy race and other fun runs for local charities. She even finished a half-marathon for Cash for Kids. She’s also taken part in three Memory Walks, raising over £1,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society. Aside from running, Charlotte has completed all kinds of weird and wonderful activities for charity, including sleeping rough, getting gunged, skydiving, bungee jumping and dressing as Wonder Woman and Snow White. She also arranges Easter egg donations to her local children’s hospital and Christmas gift…

In geology, talus is a technical term loosely synonymous with what word? The number next to the clue tells you which line the answer’s in. We’ve put a section in to start you off! There may be two Across answers in one line. Down words fill themselves in. The shaded squares spell out the one-word prize answer. WIN £100 Puzzle 2 1 Small, lobster-like crustacean 3 Jojo Moyes novel, Me Before • Artificial fabric 5 Water jug • Dubious (informal) 7 Traffic light colour • Female deer 9 Metallic element also known as wolfram Your answer:…

GIANT TOTES STYLE TIP Treat your bag as an extension of your outfit. It's an easy way to clash prints, stripes and contrasting colours. DOUBLE STRAP SLIERS STYLE TIP Save on your luggage allowance with these lightweight slip-ons. Perfect for poolside, beach and summer in the city. BRIGHT SHADES STYLE TIP Match warm skin tones with spicy colours such as orange and yellow. Paler skins suit cool blue and green tones. FROM £2 STRAPPY HEELS STYLE TIP For extra leg lengthening, choose a style without an ankle strap as this helps to draw the eye down without interruption.…

What literary form derives its name from the Italian for ‘little song’? To find out, solve the puzzle… Enter the answers to the clues in the grid. Every word is an anagram of its neighbours, plus or minus a letter. Read the shaded squares in number order for the prize answer. 1 Nicks, grooves 2 Terrible smell 3 Small European freshwater fish 4 At that time 5 Female domestic fowl 6 Sharpen, polish 7 Long-necked grey wading bird 8 Monarch’s seat 9 One more WIN 3 × £50 Puzzle 8 Your answer:…

FEELING FRUITY BUDGET BUY BOLD BRIGHTS…

Is hubby cheating? Q A few weeks ago my hubby tried to kiss my best friend in front of me. When I confronted him the next day he said he didn’t remember. She was the one who ended up apologising even though I could see she wasn’t at fault. Now he’s really secretive but swears he isn’t having an affair. I’m so unhappy. Sharon, 48 A Blimey, sweetheart. What a shocker. If he’s doing that in front of you, what’s he doing behind your back? You need to have a serious conversation with him – and yourself – if you want to save this marriage. Why did you marry him? Does he respect you? Can you make amends? Try to decide if there’s a marriage that’s even worth saving.…

Glastonbury BBC1, BBC2 ● The music festival returns to Worthy Farm in Somerset where Sir Elton John, Blondie, Guns N’ Roses, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Arctic Monkeys, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Rick Astley and Lewis Capaldi are among the performers taking to the iconic Pyramid Stage. Elsewhere, other acts to look out for include Tom Grennan, Fatboy Slim, Lana Del Rey and the Manic Street Preachers. As well as BBC1 and BBC2, there’s also coverage on BBC3, BBC4 and BBC iPlayer, where you’ll also find lots of other Glastonbury-related programmes, featuring highlights from this year’s festival and memorable moments from years gone by. DON’T MISS DON’T MISS Signs For Change BBC1 ● Rose Ayling-Ellis became the first deaf contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021, and went on to win the series with pro partner…

The Body Shop Mango Lip Scrub, £8 There’s nothing worse than dry, flaky lips – especially under your favourite lippy. This deliciously-scented scrub is the ultimate fix, leaving your pout smooth and supple. Barry M Mani Hero Strengthen Nail Treatment, £4.49, barrym.com If you get a lot of gel manicures, or have weak, chipping nails, apply two coats of this strengthener to help repair and nourish. You can use it as a base coat, too. Aveeno Haircare Colour Protect+ Shampoo, £7.99, Boots When you dye your hair it’s important to use a specialist shampoo to prevent fade and keep the colour locked in as long as possible. This is brilliant, and smells incredible. Makeup Revolution Crystal Aura Forever Flawless Eyeshadow Palette, £11.99, revolutionbeauty.com We adore this gleaming eyeshadow palette, packed…

TRUE-LIFE Holding up a certificate, my boyfriend Calum, then 18, swaggered in the front door. ‘I passed,’ he grinned. Throwing myself into his arms, I was chuffed for him. It was 2012 and Calum had been having driving lessons since his 17th birthday, and was desperate to get his licence. He was saving up money for a car, eventually getting a blue Peugeot 108. We’d been dating for three years, since we were 15. Now things were serious and we were living together. Calum was sweet and shy – it was why I fell for him. With me at college and Calum looking for work, I couldn’t wait to spend our lives together. With his new-found freedom, I imagined us driving out on date nights, heading on weekends away. But…

WIN £1,001 Puzzle 4 What do actor Keira Knightley and model Poppy Delevingne have in common? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the five-word prize answer. ACROSS 1 Film starring Channing Tatum, _ Mike (5) 4 _ Austen, novelist (4) 6 Traded, swapped (8) 13 New _, country (7) 14 European country (7) 15 Automaton (5) 16 _ Samberg, actor (4) 17 Use one’s ears (6) 18 Fight between armies (6) 20 Academic test (4) 21 Trainee (5) 22 Julius _, Roman general (6) 25 City in Nevada (3,5) 28 Careful with money (6) 30 Bird of prey (5) 32 Legal proof (8) 34 One of the Channel Islands (6) 35 Simple card game (4) 38 Bets (6) 39 Dog with short legs (5) 40 Ointment (6) 43 Musical sound (4) 44 Unpleasantly cold (6) 45 Rescue craft (8) 48 Furniture item (5) 49 Arid region (6) 51…

Help! I'm losing my locks Q My hair’s falling out and looking thin. My GP diagnosed FPHL, is there a cure? I’m terrified of going bald! Cherie, Nailsworth A FPHL stands for Female Pattern Hair Loss and affects almost half of women after the age of 50, although often mildly. You start gradually to lose hair over your scalp, which might first become apparent as a wider parting before making you noticeably thinner on top. No one’s completely sure of the cause though it seems your genes are important as FPHL often passes in families, and hormones might play a part too. The hair loss is usually slow, over several decades, and although it’s not impossible you’re unlikely to become completely bald. Treatment involves control rather than cure and usually…

1 Practise yoga ‘Just five minutes of yoga a day can make a difference because this is a manageable habit to stick to. Little and often is the key,’ says yoga teacher Vicky Fox*. Try poses that can be done in bed, such as glute-strengthening clams (look on YouTube for a demo). You can also add moves into your routine. For example, you can squat before relaxing on the sofa – every time you go to sit down, don’t sit but squat and then sit down. 2 Batch cook Want to eat healthily? Planning is key. ‘While batch cooking takes some initial preparation, it saves time, effort and money in the long-run,’ says co-founder of The Fast 800, Dr Clare Bailey. ‘Freeze your cooking in portions so you can defrost and reheat…

L ooking at the little black fluff ball lying in agony across the examination table, my heart broke. It was January 2020 and as a veterinary nurse, I was used to treating animals in a critical condition. But this time was particularly tough. This poor little kitten’s fur was singed, chunks of scalded flesh falling away. Who could do this? I thought. Shadow, a domestic short-haired cat, had been rushed in by the RSPCA with severe burns across 60% of his body. The majority to his face and back, with splatter marks down his legs and chest. He couldn’t walk, his soft pads were scalded, and several claws had fallen out. I’d never seen anything like it. ‘Do we know what happened?’ the vet asked the RSPCA worker, Catherine. ‘Not…

Q My baby is 8 months old and I’m doing a terrible job with her . Every time I try to feed her she won’t take it. She spits it out and screams. Yet whenever anyone else feeds her she’s fine. I get so frustrated that I end up shouting, then I feel so guilty. Please help. Lucie, 25 A This must be really hard. She may be picking up on how tense you are which is why she’s getting stressed. Ask your partner to prepare your baby’s food so you don’t feel flustered. Then try to make feeding a bonding experience, with ‘aeroplanes’, big smiles and a relaxed mummy. Good luck, my love.…

truly Chat! Like most teenage girls, the moment Esther Calixte-Bea started sprouting body hair, she got to grips with a razor. Learning to shave her legs and underarms until they were soft and smooth. But for Esther, it didn’t stop there. In order to meet modernday beauty standards, she found herself having to shave her chest and tummy too. ‘When I was 11 I started noticing my body hair,’ she says. ‘I had lifted up my shirt and my friends saw the hair on my stomach, and that’s when I started to become a bit self-conscious. ‘They had such an exaggerated reaction, in that moment I knew that I was different and something was ‘wrong’ with my body hair. ‘I have chest hair and I’m very hairy because of my…

3 ways to… SAVE ON TRAIN TRAVEL 1 Seek out the cheapest fares Advance train tickets, which usually have the cheapest fares, often go on sale around 12 weeks in advance, although it can vary. You can set up a ticket alert on websites like thetrainline.com, then book as soon as they go on sale. 2 Can you bag a discount? Many operators, including West Midlands Railway, offer GroupSave tickets – you save up to a third off your off-peak train ticket when travelling in a group of three to nine people. Find details and T&Cs at westmidlandsrailway.co.uk. Or could you save cash by getting a railcard, such as Two Together? This offers a third off rail fares for two named adults travelling together off-peak Monday to Friday or any…

Aries 21 March-20 April You’re making steady progress. Stay motivated, as you’re closer to your dreams than you think. Keep positive and focus on your desired outcome. ● Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May Jupiter is bringing plenty of chances to expand your life in many ways. Hand your worries over to the universe and take action to make positive changes. ● Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June With Mercury in your sign now, communicate your true feelings with those close to you, then trust that this will create an exciting shift in your relationships. ● Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July The Moon in your sign around mid-June means you are more in touch with your feelings,…

Q I’ve heard a lot about a skincare ingredient called niacinamide recently, what does it do? Janice Parry, Shropshire A Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B. It’s quite the multitasker, working as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and oil regulator. These benefits make it suitable to treat a lot of skin concerns, but it’s an ingredient that really comes into its own for blemish-prone skin. The best way to make the most of any active ingredient is to use it in the form of a serum – the light, concentrated formula will sink deeper into the skin and get to work quickly. We love Simple 10% Vitamin B3 Niacinamide Booster Serum, £8, Sainsbury’s – apply after cleansing, before moisturising, morning or evening. To specifically treat blemishes, use Boots Skin Clear Overnight Redness…