xcha tw 45ye by coolkdei2

30 JAN 2020 ISSUE 5

The original real-life mag

CASH PRIZES UP FOR GRABS!

OM-G CUP Would my BOOBS smother my baby?

PRISONER ON A PIG FARM...

Mum’s affair left her life in danger

r a e y 3 a s a e f i L old beauty queen * £ 00 rocks! * Fake tan! * Pudding ban!

HUNTED ON HOLIDAY...

by a sick serial killer

PLUS! FEED THEM FAST

JEANS GENIUSends The hot tr

Just 10 mins prep

From £12. 99

A bride betrayed...

GROOM SWAPPED ME FOR A WEDDING GUEST! She watched us wed, now they’re sharing a bed!

Come on in! Welcome to this week’s Chat…

p40

COVER PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK. PHOTOS: FOCUS FEATURES

p12

ie’s hubby had an nusual suggestion r celebrating eir wedding nniversary… And d to a new lifestyle hem both (p18)! acy is begging for r help to get to the tom of the mystery p34 und her son’s violent ath (p34). And Alan’s letter to his eautiful bride Amanda will break your heart (p58). We’ve got bargain jeans to suit every body type (p12) and our store-cupboard aviours are perfect or dark evenings (p40). All your usual faves are n the mix, too. Enjoy!

Contents

p18

p58

On the cover

More true stories Your favourites

Get puzzling

6 Groom swapped me for a wedding guest! 12 Jeans genius – the hot trends 16 Prisoner on a pig farm 30 Life as a 3-year-old beauty queen 40 Feed them fast 44 Would my boobs smother my baby? 54 Hunted on holiday... by a sick serial killer

10 Gone too soon: Unforgettable smile 18 Let it all hang out: Nude awakening 20 Not so easy breathing 24 My short, sharp shock 34 What happened to my son? 37 Soldiering on 48 Bingo winner 58 A letter to… My beautiful wife

8 8 8 10 15 23 23 23 23 28 28 28 30 32 32 36 36 47 56

6 ISSUES FOR £6* Visit magazinesdirect. com/chatjan20 Or call 0330 333 1113** and quote code AXD9 *Afteryourfirstsixissues,yoursubscription willcontinueat£9.99payableeverythree monthsbyUKDirectDebit.ForfullT&Cs, visitmagazinesdirect.com/terms.**Call chargesatnomorethananational landline,andmaybeincludedinyour JANUARY phoneprovider’scallbundle.Linesopen SALE from Mon-Sat, 8am-6pm (UK Time).

4 9 21 22 27 29 33 39 42 43 46 50

Picture perfect Just genius! Health news Ask Dr Martin Year in crimes: 1975 We love home Ask Aunty Nelly Cash smart Telly week Your stars You little beauty Holiday time: Galway

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PHONE 020 3148 6150 EMAIL chat_magazine@ti-media.com FACEBOOK facebook.com/ChatMagazine POST Chat, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP

Number jig Spiral xword Three in a row Spot the difference The biggie Over to you Chain words In the grid Skinny one Arrow word Sudoku Wordsearch The little one Fill me in Circle time Code cracker Word jumble The big quiz Enter our comps here 57 What’s the answer? 57 We won! 3

Picture erfect Another fun-filled week in Chat land

Enjoying our holidays in Havana, Cuba, my friend Molly (left) and I enjoyed a trip in a rented car, posing like film stars! Amie Yetton, Duxford

Oops! Didn’t mean to look this glum as I took a selfie! Jess Ward, Prenton

Fun times! My gorgeous girls – Betty-Lou, 4, and Teddie, 2 – had a giggle making funny voices through an empty loo roll. It really is the simple things..! Charley Pieri, Chingford

My husband Ian met actor Ricky Tomlinson in July, while we were on a break in Benidorm. What a lovely man he was! Meryl Pierrepont, Nottingham

Thienna, my 5-yearold, and my mum Ruth are the best of friends, often dressing up together at school, where Mum works, and even share the same birthday. Claire Huish, Withycombe

I found this old photo among my late husband’s papers. It’s his distant family, the Deys. It’s a wonderful picture, with everyone all dressed up and sitting solemn-faced! Cornelia MacDonald, West Calder

My beautiful cats, brothers Louie and Leo who I adopted from Tender Paws Cat Rescue in Blackpool, stopped fighting just long enough for me to take this picture. Charity Millington, Blackpool This is my perfect picture, with my wife Lesley, 68, on holiday in Benidorm. We’re making the most of retirement and can’t wait for our next adventure. John Dunn, Cranham

Looks as if our pet hamster Dorito has bitten off rather more than he can chew! Yasmin, Ava and Eli Wears, Bridgend

for any photos that we use on Picture Perfect.

£25

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

Polly, 5, is always making us laugh. If she’s not sitting in a box reading Chat, she’s usually dancing and singing. Jan Thompson, Kenilworth

Unfortunately, we can’t return photos without a SAE. And please don’t forget to include your full address and a contact number.

BRIDE BETRAYED

The marria crasher Two years on, my heart was broken. And someone knew why...

WORDS: KARA O’NEILL, CHANTELLE REES. PHOTOS: MEDAVIA

Nikki Carter, 26, Immingham

pening my eyes, excitement rushed through me as I stretched out in bed. Today’s the day! It was September 2017 and I was marrying the man of my dreams. I was becoming Mrs Lewis Smith, a moment I’d dreamt of since we got together six years ago. I thought back to when we’d met. Friends at first, but then our connection blossomed into something more. Charming and thoughtful, Lewis, 29, was great with my son from a previous relationship, Elliot, then just 1. So when I fell pregnant unexpectedly in December 2012, I was thrilled. And on Christmas Day, Lewis had a surprise of his own. ‘Nikki, will you marry me?’ he’d asked, opening up a box to show me a beautiful ring. ‘Yes, of course!’ I cried, kissing him. The next nine months were a whirlwind. When our son Brody

was born in September 2013, Lewis was every inch the doting daddy. With two boys to look after, we didn’t rush to book our wedding. ‘As long as I get to marry you, I don’t mind waiting,’ I’d grinned. Planning a small ceremony, we didn’t want a fuss. Our guest list was a handful of our closest friends and family. And here I was, almost

five years since Lewis popped the question, about to the knot. Walking into the office, hours later, white gown, my ey with happy tears a loved ones grinning at me. My kids, family, friends. And our old neighbours Jess, then 21, and Jamie, 24, had come along, too. It’d been lovely living t door to Jess. Me and my was always three boys re for a cuppa a chat. ut truthfully, was lucky they de the guest t. See, Lewis d hit it off th Jamie, t didn’t like ss much. She’s here gain?’ he’d umble if he ame in and she as at ours. I’d always tick up for her. Even though we’d both moved house now, we stayed n touch. So, it made perfect sense for Jess and

My friend Jess

Jamie to share our big day. ‘Congratulations!’ Jess cheered, giving me a big hug after the ceremony. As we all posed for pictures together, I was on cloud nine. The perfect day. A month later, I fell pregnant again. Wesley was born in July 2018, and our family felt complete. But it wasn’t long after the birth that Lewis started to change. In October 2018, he lost his job as a mechanic. And while he tried to find another, he didn’t have much success. Money became tight, tension grew between us. We got trapped in a miserable cycle. We’d snap at each other at the tiniest thing, Lewis would walk out and stay at his mum’s for the night, come home the next day, begging forgiveness. With a new baby to care for and hectic lives, I just assumed we were going

She watched me and Lewis exchange vows

h a rough patch. ll marriages, right? wedding vows meant ing to me, and I’d ed to stand by Lewis for better and for worse. But in January 2019, after yet another argument, Lewis walked out again. Only, this time, he didn’t come back for six days. I was left with the kids, no way of getting in touch with him. ‘You can’t keep doing this,’ I yelled when he walked through the door. ‘I promise I won’t,’ he replied. But a month on, the same thing happened again. And then I knew. Our marriage was over. Devastated, I tried to stay strong for the kids. And luckily, Jess became my shoulder to cry on. Armed with a bottle of wine and tissues, she came round most nights. ‘You’ll get through this, Nikki,’ she soothed. I don’t know what I would’ve done without her. But as time went on, she stopped popping in as much. And in July 2019, Jamie

called me out of the blue. Hearing his sobs through the phone, I panicked. ‘Jamie?’ I said. ‘What’s wrong? What’s happened?’ ‘Jessica’s left me,’ he cried. My heart went out to him. After all, I knew exactly how he felt. ‘Oh, Jamie,’ I said. ‘I’m so sorry.’ Then he said something that made my blood run cold. ‘Nikki, there’s more. She’s left, and she’s moved in with him.’ ‘Who do you mean?’ I said. ‘She’s moved in with Lewis. They’re together,’ Jamie replied. Speechless, I hoped Jamie had got this wrong. Jess was my friend – wasn’t she? She’d known every detail of my break-up with Lewis, I’d poured my heart out to her. She wouldn’t do that to me, would she? ‘You’re wrong,’ I told Jamie over the phone. ‘She told me herself,’ he said. ‘She said she wants to be with him, not me. They’ve screwed both of

She’d known every detail of my break-up

us over, Nikki.’ As I put the phone down, I felt so confused. Lewis didn’t even like Jess, and now he’s in a relationship with her? But as I played it around and around in my head, my confusion gave way to anger. And then, months later, Lewis called out the blue. ‘Are you with Jess?’ I yelled. ‘It’s none of your business,’ he said bluntly. ‘I want to know who will be around my kids,’ I said. ‘OK, yes,’ he said. ‘Jess and I are together. But it’s a recent thing. We weren’t doing anything while I was with you.’ ‘A recent thing? Four months after you leave me, you’re with my friend?’ I yelled. ‘I’m not doing this, Nikki,’ he replied. ‘I’ve told you the truth.’ With that, he hung up. Dissolving into sobs, I felt sick to my stomach. The pair maintain that they only got together after me and Lewis split. Whatever, I feel betrayed and think anyone in my position would. Jess had watched me

marry Lewis – and she’s shacked up with him. I’ve not yet filed for divorce, but I will do soon. These days, I’m more careful about who I invite into my home for a cuppa. I don’t need doublecrossers like that in my life.

Jess says, ‘I was there for Nikki through thick and thin but I didn’t come into her family home and steal her husband. At the end of the day, her partner broke up with her. I helped them both and then me and her partner got close. Can’t partners ever move on?’ Lewis says, ‘I didn’t leave her for anybody. I left Nikki because it was a toxic relationship. Jess and I were there for each other a lot and became close. Jess wasn’t happy in the relationship with Jamie and wanted to get out. I offered her a place to stay and a few weeks later, we got together. It’s not strange at all that she was at the wedding.’

£500 cash!

NUMBER JIG H

ow many slate tiles were used to build a new bridge at Tintagel Castle in Cornwall? Fit these numbers into the grid. One number doesn’t fit. This is the prize answer. 3 digits

4 digits

132 167 207 425 515 567 644 733 802 845 861 930

1745 2731 2781 4744 5435 5757 7256 7451 9867

WIN0

£25

70711 72349 77761

6 digits 468287 537171 547877 818878 934524

5 digits 11084 27016 40000 46864 49570 55205 58450 64625 67815

7 digits 4537339 7472757 9035181 9608747

8 digits 11737094

Puzzle 1

Your answer:

SPIRAL XWORD A

s what was the Statue of Liberty used from 1886 until 1902? The answer to each clue (apart from the first) begins with the last letter of the preceding answer. The shaded squares will spell out the one-word prize answer. S E E I N G

Your answer: 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

WIN0

£15

Puzzle 2

Looking at (6) Spooky spirit (5) Glossy silk fabric (7) Recorder of messages (11) Out‑breath (10) Hardly surprising (2, 6) … hour, busy traffic time (4) Slept all winter (10) Repulse (7) Gin mixer (5, 5) Gave money back (8) Intended to trick (9) Nail file (5, 5) David …, The X‑Files star (8)

THREE IN A ROW I

n which area of France is a form of Celtic language spoken? To find out, solve the puzzle... 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 answer to the question.

R C

MAR ITO BLY

E OGN SUB TOL

INE ERA INC

Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit lifedeathprizes.com/win

W4INx

£25 Puzzle 3

Genius Just

Your tips are the tops!

£25

Easyaccess

Fo photor et very we pripinthat t

I put all my utensils in a large flowerpot I bought from the garden centre. Saves time and I can easily find what I need. Monica Cornish, Lowestoft

Bakingbrainwave I don’t own a muffin tray, so I use individual jar lids. I just pop the paper cases, filled with the cupcake or muffin mixture, in the lids and put them on a baking tray to go in the oven. It makes washing up much simpler too! Mike Joseph, Lawford

Stockup Never run out of your favourite nonperishables again! Store one of each in an emergency supply box, and don’t forget to keep an eye on use-by dates and replenish when necessary. Alison Rowlands, Langtoft

Purr-fection Fed up with my cats’ very shabby scratching tree, I gave it a makeover with faux-fur fabric and sisal and jute rope around the posts. They love it, and so do I! Jan MacGregor, Glasgow

Stay green Bloomin’ brightidea It seemed a shame to throw away my garden solar light bulbs, so I put some artificial flowers in them. They look so pretty, inside or out! Sheila Riley, Great Wakering

Use a kitchen baster to water plants in awkwardto-reach places. You can squirt the water directly into the soil without spilling water everywhere. Kelly Martin, Leeds

Tips must be your own idea, and not appear in other mags. If published, we pay £25 for tips with photos. Send tips, photos, name and full address to: Tips page, Chat, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP,or email us at chat_magazine@ti-media.com *Remember, these are YOUR tips – we haven’t tried them ourselves

Cash!

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE A

Kirstie Raper, 29, Hessle

4 A

eaming with blotchy rash on his tummy. pride, my I took him to the doctor. daughter ‘It’s just dry skin,’ he Avayah, then reassured me, giving me 3, clutched some cream. her newborn But the rash didn’t go. brother in her arms. By the next day, Lewin ‘He’s my baby,’ felt hot and clammy. she grinned. When Khyle arrived home It was August 2018 and, that night, me and my mum despite being Gail took Lewin born three straight to A&E. weeks early, ‘We just need our son Lewin to get him was a perfect, checked over,’ healthy I smiled to little boy. Avayah, seeing Our family her little felt complete. forehead creased Just like me into a frown. and my fiance Khyle, then After tests, a nurse told 28, Avayah was obsessed us it was just a virus, that with Lewin, smiling as we could take Lewin home. she showed him her dolls. But two days later, ‘He’s going to like noticing how pale he was, football, though,’ I took Lewin back to A&E. grinned Khyle. This time, doctors agreed Such a happy baby, at to keep him in for more tests. 2 months old Lewin gave He hardly slept. His me a big grin as I put him down in his cot. ‘Are you smiling Poorly, for Mummy?’ in hospital I cooed, my heart bursting with love. Yet Lewin was a clingy baby, always wanting to be held. And one day in November 2018, he was crying every time I put him down. As I changed his nappy, I saw a red

He seemed to perk up, flashing his trademark grin

WIN0 £3

5xPuzzle 4

PHOTO: GETTY

Unfor smile

My happy boy completed our family. Then, bad news...

Your answer: 10

GONE TOO SOON

Look closely at these two pics – there’s a difference in almost every square. Only one has no changes, the grid reference (eg, 1A) is your prize answer.

rgettab

high-pitched cry sent shivers down my spine. Doctors said they suspected meningitis. He was given antibiotics and steroids and seemed to perk up, flashing me his trademark grin. Leaving Khyle with Lewin the next day, I went home to spend time with Avayah. She was desperate to see her brother. ‘When he’s better,’ I promised. Back at the hospital the next day, I was pleased to hear Lewin had slept most of the night. But now he was restless, wouldn’t stop crying. As I held him, he suddenly flung his

I screamed. ‘He’s had a cardiac arrest,’ said a nurse, leading me out of the room. Minutes later, Khyle was standing beside me, breathless and panic-stricken. Finally, a doctor came out and explained that Lewin had had another cardiac arrest. Our gorgeous ‘He’s very poorly,’ baby boy he said. Sobbing, me and Khyle walked in. arms up in the air. His Lewin had his eyes closed. whole body went stiff. His little body was covered He looked at me, his face in wires. crumpled in confusion. ‘He’s squeezing it,’ Khyle Then his eyes closed said, hopeful, as he held and he fell silent. Lewin’s tiny hand. ‘Lewin?’ I cried. But then Lewin’s body A nurse ran in, looked at went tense. his limp body We were and hit the pushed aside emergency and watched button. on helplessly as Suddenly, doctors tried to doctors were resuscitate him. rushing down Then I heard the corridor. the words I’d Someone been dreading. grabbed my ‘Do we all phone and called Khyle. agree to stop?’ said a doctor. Doctors took Lewin from ‘Please, no!’ I begged. me and put him on the bed. But there was nothing One pressed down on more they could do. his chest, while another My baby boy, just three gave him mouth-to-mouth. months old, had died. ‘What’s happening?’ The next hours went

There was nothing more the doctors could do

by in a blur. We made prints of Lewin’s feet and hands with clay. Holding him in my arms, I wept. Looking around the hospital room, I saw his changing bag and car seat. ‘What do we do with these now?’ I choked. That night, we went home. Without Lewin. ‘He got really poorly, now he’s in heaven,’ I tried to explain to Avayah. ‘Lewin’s in heaven,’ she repeated. Heartbreaking. In February 2019, the hospital called to confirm that Lewin had contracted a virus that led to him developing a rare condition called viral myocarditis, which had left his little heart inflamed. On what would have been our little boy’s first birthday, in August 2019, we held a fundraiser for the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY). Thanks to the generosity of friends and local businesses, we’ve raised more than £13,000. Not a day goes by when we don’t think of Lewin. We miss our happy boy desperately. He was the missing piece of the puzzle in our family, and he always will be.

WORDS: FRANCES LEATE, RIA NEWMAN

Avayah adored her newborn brother

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WIN1

hat links TV host Lorraine Kelly and actor John Barrowman? To find out, solve the crossword, then read down the shaded squares to find the three-word prize answer.

£1,00 Puzzle 5

DOWN 1 Rescuer (7) 2 Opener for wine bottles (9) 3 Make restless, insecure (8) 4 Thick plank of wood (4) 5 Of the kind described (4) 6 Atlantic or Pacific, eg (5) 7 Able to read and write (8) 8 Piece of lounge furniture (4) 10 Being from outer space (5) 11 Orange pieces (8) 12 Easily creased cloth (5) 19 African water mammal (5) 22 Accommodate (6) 24 Making bigger (9) 25 Compound substances (9) 26 Laborious contest (3-2-3) 28 Go over (a text) (6) 29 US name for petrol (8) 31 Muck-rake (3,2,4) 32 Device to signal a visitor (8) 33 Burt …, US actor (8)

12 13

18 19

22 25

31 34

37 38

40 41

45 46

57 58

63 66

62 64

35 Alternative route (9) 38 Border around a garment (6) 41 Cheat, defraud (3,3) 45 Crack open (5) 49 Celebrity’s double (9) 50 Put a name to (8) 51 Nickname for the USA (5,3) 52 Acted as a group (6,2) 56 Hot-water springs (7) 57 Danger (5) 59 Church’s vocal group (5) 61 Telephone kiosk (5) 63 Seaweed food thickener (4) 64 Sight from a window (4) 65 Frightening giant (4)

£1,000 winner

Issue 29, 18 July 2019

‘Brilliant! I love the puzzling and get Chat every Thursday. Haven’t worked for some time due to bad back, so will save the money for emergency.’ Adrian Thomas, Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan

PHOTOS: GETTY

ACROSS 1 Surrender, give in (7) 5 Perfectly clean (8) 9 Deep male voice (4) 13 Cause of infection (5) 14 Very old (7) 15 Flunking (an exam) (7) 16 Start, beginning (5) 17 Make a noise in sleep (5) 18 Brimless knitted cap (6) 20 In the countryside (5) 21 Hole to breathe through (7) 23 The one following (4) 26 Small city (4) 27 Easily broken (7) 30 Door’s observation glass (7) 34 Flightier (7) 36 Register (4,2) 37 Come together (5) 39 Advantageous (10) 40 Factory’s output (10) 42 Warmed and dried (5) 43 Not ready, of fruit (6) 44 Unlawful (7) 46 Upset (events) (7) 47 Picture made of scraps (7) 48 Swiss mountain range (4) 53 Cooked to a turn (4) 54 Mean or indicate (7) 55 In the company of (5) 58 American coin (6) 60 Aerial display (3-2) 62 Meat juice (5) 66 Pressing clothes (7) 67 Getting goals (7) 68 Control a car (5) 69 Unit of length (4) 70 Nick …, TV host (8) 71 Fast train (7)

Your answer:

TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit lifedeathprizes.com/win

Desperate t SLAUGHTER IN THE SHED?

She wanted to flee farm life – but wouldn’t make it out alive

All smiles? Todd and Amy

my Mullis, 39, had been married to pig farmer Todd for 14 years. She loved hunting, fishing and spending time outdoors with their 13-year-old son. She’d even left her job as a registered nurse so that she could spend more time on the family farm. But things weren’t as perfect as they appeared. Because the reality was that Amy was desperate to leave her husband. For five months, Amy and Todd had been sleeping in separate beds and Amy had

engaged in a secret affair. She had confided in her close friends that she felt ‘trapped’ by her husband Todd, 43. They even jokingly called her POT Wife – short for ‘prisoner of Todd’. Sadly, Amy was never to make her escape from the farm...

where she was pronounced dead. Todd insisted to the police his wife had died in a freak accident. He claimed the family was going about daily chores on the farm when Amy had felt dizzy. She’d had surgery a few days earlier and was still suffering after-effects. Todd told the investigators Freak accident? he’d suggested she go for a On 10 November 2018, lie-down, but her body was Amy’s son found her found soon after. crouched, unresponsive, At first, Todd was seen as in a shed at the farm. a grieving husband. But A pitchfork-like corn rake soon, investigators found was sticking from her back. out about Amy’s affair. Todd called the emergency In October 2018, a friend services and Amy was taken of Amy’s claimed that she to a nearby medical centre, had phoned her crying, after

Todd had discovered her infidelity. In February 2019, Todd Mullis was arrested and charged with the firstdegree murder of his wife. Seven months later, his trial began. The couple’s son told Dubuque County Court, Iowa, his dad had briefly left the barn in which they were both working, after his mother had left. But he couldn’t say how long for. The prosecutors argued Todd Mullis staged the scene so his son would find Amy’s body, making it look like an accident. Todd insisted his wife must

Lethal weapon The pronged rake have slipped and fallen backwards onto the rake that had impaled her. But an autopsy of Amy’s body put that claim into dispute. Dr Kelly Kruse, who performed the autopsy, told the court that the cause of death was sharp-force injuries of the torso. ‘Homicide,’ she said. Dr Kruse testified Amy’s body had been punctured at least twice with the rake. Talking about the day of Amy’s death, Todd said, ‘I just dove down by her, put my head down, trying to yell at her, trying to get her attention. ‘I didn’t know what to think. I just wanted to help her,’ he said. When questioned about their marriage, Todd claimed that he knew Amy had cheated on him in 2013. However, he insisted that it was a one-time thing and they’d worked through it. He’d said he hadn’t confronted her about any more cheating. He insisted that he and Amy were in a good place. But the man with whom

Amy was having an affair – Jerry Frasher – said that he thought otherwise. Mr Frasher told the court that Amy had told him she wanted to leave Todd. ‘She felt like a slave or a hostage around there. One time, she did say that if he ever found out about the affair, she would disappear,’ Jerry said.

Hysterical

Debra Scherbring, a colleague of Amy’s, testified she got a call in August 2018 from Amy, who was hysterical. ‘She was crying that if her husband Todd would find out about the affair he would kill her,’ Debra said. The police found evidence that Amy loved the Todd outdoor life Mullis

had searches – such as ‘organs in the body’, ‘killing unfaithful women’ and ‘what happens to cheating spouses in history’ – on his iPad search history. But Todd denied that he had made them. His lawyer Gerald Feuerhelm claimed the internet searches could have been made by someone else with access to the iPad. Feuerhelm insisted that Todd had not lied to the police about it being an accident, and insisted that he had provided an ‘honest, legitimate on-the-spot explanation’, based on facts available at the time. ‘This wasn’t something he manufactured. It was like, what else could it be?’ he added. The lawyer

THE JUDGE! argued that the killer could have been an unknown intruder who fled the scene. He added that detectives collected DNA from under Amy’s fingernails, but it wasn’t certain whether it was ever tested.

Valuable land

The couple’s pig-farm was worth millions, and the court heard that, in 2013, Amy had told a friend she stood to gain $2million (around £1.6million) from the farm trust, plus half the couple’s land holdings, should they split. Amy’s stepmother told the court that the same year, Todd told her he knew about his wife’s affair, but added, ‘I’m not going to lose my farm and what I worked for.’ ‘Being a farmer means everything to him. He has put his life into that farm,’ prosecutor Marie Hughes told the jury. ‘The defendant had to find a way to keep his farm,’ she said. So, had Todd Mullis gone to the greatest lengths to save his livelihood, by killing his wife in cold blood? Or was Amy’s death a terrible accident...or did an unknown assailant wield the fatal rake blow?

Guilty or not? Turn to find out

WORDS: ANNA MATHESON. PHOTOS: TELEGRAPH HERALD VIA AP

o escape

YOUÕRE

LET IT ALL HANG O

Nude a Strip off to celebrate 25 years of marriage? I couldn’t do that. Could I..? Julie Watson, 57, Skegness

Mullis: ‘disbelief’

GUILTY

n September 2019, a jury in Dubuque County found Todd Mullis guilty of murdering his wife. Sentencing is scheduled for March, but the conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole. ‘We’re pleased with the jury’s verdict and thank the jurors for their service,’ Lynn Hicks, spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Justice said of the result. Mullis’ lawyer, Gerald Feuerhelm described the case as an Iowa

‘murder mystery novel’, and said that Mullis was in ‘disbelief’ over the conviction. ‘Of course, we’re disappointed,’ Feuerhelm added, saying that he plans to file post-trial motions to challenge the jury’s decision.

WHATÕS

POLICE PHOTO: DELAWARE COUNTY JAIL

THE VERDICT?

Amy was murdered

licking through dropping the leaflet. a leaflet for a But the more I thought beautiful holiday about the idea, the more house, I found intrigued I felt. myself nodding. And later, with a nervous A converted farm excitement bubbling, building with a large I turned to Kenneth. kitchen, it looked like a ‘I’ve booked it,’ I said. home from home. Now Kenneth was the It was May 2009 and me one to look shocked. ‘It was and my husband Kenneth, a joke,’ he stammered. 46, were planning a But my mind was made up. weekend away to celebrate So, a few weekends later, our 25th wedding we packed up the car for anniversary. our first nudist He’d found weekend away. a gorgeous En route, self-catering my confidence cottage was dwindling. in Essex. ‘Let’s see what ‘Perfect!’ it’s all about,’ I beamed. Kenneth Kenneth was reassured me. smiling, too. Only his was We checked in, began more of a cheeky grin… unpacking. It felt like a ‘You might change your normal holiday. mind when I tell you it’s a But rather than changing nudist resort!’ he smirked. into a new outfit, we slipped I was speechless. out of our clothes. Prancing around starkers ‘Now or never,’ I said – and, wasn’t my thing. hand in hand, we headed Plus my body confidence to the pool. wasn’t the The sun was only thing shining. Feeling that had plummeted after having four kids. I didn’t even really like Kenneth seeing me naked, always switched the lights off during sex. All dressed ‘Not a up for our 1984 chance!’ wedding... ...and at I told him,

Everyone looked great – confident and happy

church

ASK ME ANYTHING Now Julie answers

all the questions you REALLY want to ask Do things at naturist events ever get sexual?

Q A

Never. Of course, what goes on in your own room or tent is your own business. But there’s no sexual touching in public at all. In fact, it’s the quickest way to get yourself kicked out. Everyone respects each other, and no-one makes anyone else feel uncomfortable by being overly flirty.

How do you deal with the UK weather?

Q A

a warm breeze against my skin, I wrapped my arms around my middle. ‘Is this your first time?’ a lady asked me. She was one of a dozen naked bodies lying on sunloungers. ‘Yes, and we’re terrified!’ I replied. But as the afternoon went on, my nerves slipped away. That evening, we joined the other holidaymakers for a barbecue. And as we chatted, I took my chance to have a sneaky peek at everyone else. To my surprise, I realised that no two bods were the same. Wrinkly bums, saggy boobs and drooping tummies... But

everyone looked great – confident and, most importantly, happy. ‘I could get used to this,’ I said to Kenneth that night. The next morning, there was none of the usual debate about what to wear. Instead, we got out of bed, showered and headed for brekkie. Tucking into bacon and eggs in the buff like it was what we did every day! Back home, Kenneth and I were already looking at our next trip, we told our kids. ‘As long as you’re happy,’ they grinned. In between our many naturist holidays over the next few years, Kenneth

started training to become a spiritualist minister. During his training, he found out about a naturist couple looking for a minister to perform a wedding in the nude. Kenneth stepped in! Soon, I was trained up, too. We’ve now performed plenty of wedding blessings – wearing nothing but our clergy stoles! We’ve met great friends through our naturism. But the best thing is my new-found confidence. I love my body, wobbly bits and all. And I think Kenneth has a new love for my body, too. Put it this way, the lights in the bedroom now stay on!

How do you find the courage to be naked in front of other people?

Q A

At first, it was so nerve-racking, but all the naturists I’ve met have been so welcoming and kind. No one is looking at your wobbly tummy or the cellulite on your bum. Every body is different, but in many ways, we’re all the same. Everyone has parts they don’t love. And being naked is so freeing, it’s easy to forget about that after a while.

WORDS: KARA O’NEILL, CANDICE FERNANDEZ. PHOTOS: HOTSPOT MEDIA

We love our wobbly bits!

Let’s be honest, if it’s cold and wet, you put a jacket on. It’s a no-brainer. But there have been some lovely warm summer days where we’ve basked in the sunlight – with plenty of sun cream on our white bits, of course!

Health The advice you need

Not so PATIENT easy breathing I True-life

CASEBOOK

But I won’t let my one in 100,000 condition stop me

I don’t know what the future holds...

WORDS: EMMA ROSSITER

Katy Baker, 22, Banbury

they told my parents. f you take one look at me, you’ll probably A congenital heart defect think everything is affecting the lungs. fine. I appear happy In my case, it meant I had and healthy. only one functioning lung. But, believe it or not, Scimitar syndrome affects I’m not actually as well only around one in every as I seem. 100,000 people. Because behind my There was no research, smiley face and positive no treatment available. attitude is a condition They couldn’t even give us a that’s affected my life prognosis. All they could do since I was 10 weeks old. was observe me. Born eight weeks My life had this big premature, in March question mark over it. 1997, I had the doctors From then immediately concerned. on, I was After being checked over, back in I was given the all-clear hospital and sent home with my every six parents six weeks later. months. But then I got a chest Of infection. It was so serious course, that I was admitted to I knew Royal Brompton Hospital – a specialist heart and lung hospital. After multiple scans and blood tests, I was eventually diagnosed. ‘Katy has Making the scimitar most of life syndrome,’

no different for many years. But at primary school, it began to bother me. ‘It’s not fair!’ I’d moan aged 6. ‘Why don’t other kids have to go to hospital?’ I hated it if I had to miss a school trip. There were the countless times at high school when I came last in PE. Always breathless. Mum would write notes to get me out of doing cross-country. ‘You can just walk it,’ my teachers said. I desperately wanted to be normal, but no one could give me any help or answers. It took me a long time to accept it. Even now, I still have bad days. But I’m trying to speak out more, and working with Genetic Alliance UK has been a massive help. I know I’m not the only one living with

a rare and hidden illness. And I can live a normal life. I graduated, got a job and work nine to five like everyone else. I just wish there was more out there to help me, and others, understand. My lungs function at less than 50%. And that’s not all. I suffer with back pain and anxiety. I hope my story can raise awareness and help to raise funds for life-changing research. Sadly, there was no telling what could happen to me when I got diagnosed. In fact, I still have no prognosis. I just try to make the most of every day. Everyone takes breathing easily for granted. But not me. It’s a daily battle I have to live with.

I wanted to be normal but no one could give me any help

More info? For more information about rare conditions like Katy’s, visit geneticalliance.org.uk

Health 1 in 6 resort to ‘sleep news divorce’ N

WORDS: ELEANOR VOUSDEN. PHOTOS (POSED BY MODELS): GETTY. *RESEARCH FROM THE UNIVERSITIES OF BIRMINGHAM AND SHEFFIELD.

Health SOS Half of women will be carers by 46.* And two thirds of adults can expect to be unpaid carers for elderly, sick or disabled relatives in their lifetime. However, according to Carers UK, those who take on this responsibility of caring should be entitled to five to 10 days of paid care leave.

World health Now in its 20th year, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust raises awareness and funds for those suffering with cervical cancer. For more information and to get involved, visit jostrust.org.uk 20th-26th January 2020: Cervical Cancer Prevention Week

Raising awareness

WE PAY

CASH

ew research from Emma Mattress has found that our sleeping habits (or our partner’s) could be damaging our relationship. Those who share a bed with their partner suffer from insomnia (30%) and stress (26%), with the most common causes being snoring (61%) and getting too hot sleeping next to their spouse (46%). Additionally, almost half are kept up by their partner wriggling (47%) or stealing the covers (20%). The report also found that 17% of respondents His snoring’s a nightmare! experienced frustration and resentment towards their partner, while one in 10 said it had caused them waking up on the wrong side a mental-health issue, including of the bed in the mornings. anxiety and depression. ‘Identifying the cause (eg, As a result, one in six now snoring or being hot) will help sleep separately from their you ﬁnd the best solution (eg, partner at least once a week, ear plugs or a mattress that won’t and 2% consider breaking up. trap heat),’ says sleep expert Dr However, there are measures Verena Senn, who did the study. you can both take to avoid ‘Good sleep matters too much

to ignore and might even save your relationship,’ she adds. Plus, sleeping with your partner can have added beneﬁts. ‘Co-sleepers might beneﬁt from the calming effect of aligned breathing rhythm and the creation of a “safe sleeping space”.’

Rise in ‘selﬁe wrist’ ops

hether it’s snapping away on holiday or sharing a new hairdo, it’s fair to say we all love a selfie. However, this trend has been linked to what experts have dubbed ‘selfie wrist’ (AKA carpal tunnel syndrome), which can require surgery. Hand and wrist surgeon Dr Raj Ragoowansi has seen Pain? Snap! a rise in patients requiring procedures for the problem. Much like an overuse injury, sharp pain, which can eventually carpal tunnel syndrome occurs lead to the nerve becoming when we flex the wrist inwards inflamed and needing surgery. in an unnatural position. If this is So it may well be safer to opt repeated, it can cause tingling or for a selfie stick!

41%

That’s the percentage of UK workers who have a hidden health issue that they have never disclosed to To share or their employer, not to share? according to new research by Benenden Health. The survey also found that younger employees are the most likely ones to withhold this information from their bosses.

We’ll pay cash, or mention a charity of your choice, if we print your health story. Write to Your Health, Chat, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP or phone 020 3148 6150. You can send your story or e-mail the Doc at chathealth@ti-media.com. Always consult your pharmacist or GP before using any over-the-counter or prescription remedies, and read the packet carefully.

Turn over for more health 21

Dr Martin ASK

Dr Martin Edwards is a family GP whose advice you can trust

I have to get up in the night to wee and it’s making me tired at work. I thought only old men had this problem? Marcia, north London

We used to think that night-time trips to the loo were a curse of older men with enlarged prostate glands, but women are equally affected as they grow older. Sometimes, it means your kidneys are making too much urine at night because the normal mechanism which shuts them down overnight isn’t working properly. Another cause is an overactive bladder, where your bladder sends signals to your brain saying it’s full when it isn’t. If it’s a recent problem, your GP might check for a urine infection, or other causes such as diabetes. Treatment might include drugs to slow urine production overnight or to relax bladder muscle, or bladder training to increase bladder capacity.

Smoothing out my boobs Breastfeeding has left my breasts covered in horrible stretch marks. How can I get rid of them? Jennie, Tynemouth

Q A

Stretch marks are common, particularly after pregnancy when around 90% of women are left with some. Collagen and elastin, stretchy fibres that keep your skin taut and supple, break due to a combination of skin stretching as you gain weight and hormone change. This is why stretch marks can also occur at other times of hormone change, such as

puberty, and after rapidly putting on weight. Reduce the risk by not smoking, and avoiding rapid weight change. Use moisturisers and exfoliants – but basic ones are likely to be as effective as expensive stretch-mark creams. Creams containing tretinoin, a form of vitamin A, might reduce marks but can cause skin inflammation and you should ask

your GP before using. Private laser therapy is expensive but most likely to be effective. But remember, stretch marks do fade with time.

Isthere a cureformy hearing?

My ultra-sensitive hearing is getting me down. I can’t go out because everyday sounds are torture to me. Do I have to wear earplugs for ever? Casey, West Wickham

Oversensitive hearing is called hyperacusis and probably affects about 2% of people, though usually mildly. Rarely, the cause may be damage to the tiny muscles

inside your ear, or effects on your brain due to head injury or infections. But, generally, it seems the threshold for tolerating sounds has simply changed. Your GP, and possibly a specialist, can check the cause and might suggest cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to help you cope with intrusive sounds. Earplugs aren’t recommended as it’s best to get used to noise. Find help at hyperacusis.net.

Treating heart issue in an odd way I get palpitations, where my heart races. My specialist wants to treat it by burning away part of my heart! Pam, Motherwell

PHOTOS (POSED BY MODELS): GETTY

Q A

Bouts of palpitations, where your heart races, are often caused by a kind of short circuit. Fibres inside your heart that conduct electricity are your heart’s internal wiring and carry electrical impulses through your heart muscle from a group

of cells called your pacemaker region. These electrical impulses trigger every heartbeat. A short circuit can occur after damage such as a heart attack, or because you’re born that way. Your specialist wants to pass a wire into your heart from a blood vessel, usually in your groin, then use a high-frequency electrical current to burn away the fibres causing the short circuit. It’s usually effective and safe but your specialist will discuss the risks.

Want Dr Martin Edwards’ advice? Write to chat_magazine@ti-media.com. Sorry, he can’t reply personally

ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR PHARMACIST OR GP BEFORE USING ANY OVER-THE-COUNTER OR PRESCRIPTION REMEDIES, AND READ THE PACKET CAREFULLY

Night loo trips are a problem

£375 cash! OVER TO YOU

an 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 Irene Emerson, Grimsby

W5INx

£25 Puzzle 6

DOWN 1 A single time 2 Black crow 3 Old king from rhyme 4 Small, strong insects

Your answer:

IN THE GRID

hich actor, whose first name starts with D, has revealed that his most embarrassing moment was falling off the stage while playing Romeo? Hidden in this grid, reading forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally, are 10 items beginning with D, one for each of the subjects below. The remaining letters will spell out the two-word prize answer.

CHAIN WORDS

hat was returned to a Lincolnshire village hall with a note of apology, 30 years after being stolen? Get from Start to Finish, making words by joining two boxes together as you go, eg: MAT + CH, CH +… you decide! When you reach Finish, two unused boxes join together to give you Puzzle 7 the prize answer.

WIN0 £10

Start

PHOTOS: GETTY

MAT

RIC

AMP

HER

CAN

LET

RING

VES

HAL

NON

TRY

RONG

Your answer:

Finis

D N A I L H A D

N I O I H D D O

A D T G A I E Y

P R D C A S K R

Popular garden flower Small plum Ten-sided shape Ship’s floor Precious stone Journal Round flat object thrown in sport Your answer:

T U A M H C W A

SKINNY ONE

ACROSS 1 Killer whale 2 Midday 3 A young male horse 4 Makes something last longer

S M O D E U E I

U N V D R S O D

D D A M S O N D

WIN

hich plant has a name that translates as ‘rockPuzzle 9 breaker’? To find out, solve the puzzle… Add a letter anywhere in each of the boxed-off words to fit the clue, eg, Popular card game = WHIT + S = WHIST. Write the added letter in the space provided. Read down the added letters to spell out the prize answer.

WHIT WARD

£50

Popular card game Merited prize

NAVE

Rubbery material Lacking sophistication

ABLE

Aesop story

LATE

WAGE MISS STUN HARD

Gamble Incorrect, faulty Hurt by a wasp Learnt of

Drainage channel Percussion instrument Receptacle for household dirt

WIN0 £10

Puzzle 8

Your answer:

TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit lifedeathprizes.com/win

My short, sharp shock ONCE BITTEN...

Sometimes it’s the smallest things that can have the biggest impact on your life…

How could a tiny tick cause such trauma?

Michelina De Feo, 27, Colchester

WORDS: FIONA KINLOCH. MODELLING PHOTO: ROBERT WONG. TICK PHOTO (LIBRARY SHOT): GETTY

imping to the sofa, so exhausted and weak. I threw myself down Not like me at all. and cradled my leg. It’s just flu, I reasoned. ‘Ouch!’ I cried. But, working as a model, Looking down, I always needed to be on I spotted an angrytop form. looking lump on my thigh. And I was nowhere near. Red and swollen, my leg Since the age of 18, I’d was pounding. had a constant stream of Examining the area, modelling jobs. I rolled my eyes. I’d collaborated with big I should have guessed. brands, such as The Sun and Another insect bite. I was truly living my dream. Living on a farm with my But, as I stood in front of mum Viv, 51, and my dad Vic, 50, in Colchester, I was used to the short bursts of sharp pain from being nibbled by a bug. In the middle of the countryside, we were surrounded by horses and wild animals. So, rolling down my trouser leg, I tried to carry on with my day. Later that year, in 2014, I started suffering from bad migraines. As a model, I was living my dream My whole body ached, and I felt

the camera, finding the perfect pose and summoning a smile was becoming a struggle. I even had to take impromptu breaks while I was on set. Some days, I didn’t make it in to work at all. I was dizzy, my head pounded and my whole body ached. At the GP’s, I hoped I’d be given medication, and thought I’d be better in days. But he just gave me a confused look. ‘I think that it’s vertigo,’ he said. However, each time I went back to the GP over the next few months, I got a different diagnosis. Chronic fatigue, kidney infection, even depression. No medication worked. With no answers and my health deteriorating,

I had to quit modelling in October 2014. One morning in the summer of 2015, I sank onto the sofa next to my friend, who was watching TV. ‘Look, Mich, this sounds like you,’ she said, pointing at the telly screen. Edging forward in my seat, I scrambled for the remote to turn it up louder. It was a news feature about Lyme disease, an illness that’s caused by bacteria, spread by bites from infected ticks. As the presenter listed the symptoms, it felt as if he was describing me. Staring at the TV, I shook my head in disbelief. ‘I haven’t even heard of the disease before,’ I

I was dizzy, my head pounded and my body ached

I was so poorly but didnÕt know why

whispered, feeling stunned. But as I listened to the presenter, I cast my mind back to the bite I’d had on my leg over a year before. The dots began to join. Sceptical of the diagnoses I’d had in the UK, where Lyme disease is rare, I decided to look abroad for answers. I consulted a private phlebotomist who took a blood sample, and sent it to a medical laboratory in Germany. After sending it to the lab, all I could do was wait. And, just a few days later, I heard the ping of an incoming email on my laptop. Test results, the subject line read. I opened it and... The results were positive. I had contracted Lyme disease. At first, I felt relieved. Finally, I had answers! But then sadness hit me. I’d read up on Lyme

disease and knew that it wouldn’t be easy to cure. If left untreated, Lyme disease can cause a complex debilitating disorder. The draining exhaustion, the crippling headaches. They wouldn’t go away. ‘I feel so cheated,’ I sobbed brokenly to Mum. I was 23, I should’ve been living life to the full. But now I was a prisoner of my own body. Lyme disease had stolen my health, my career and my social life. But, after sobbing to my mum, I knew there was no time for self-pity. All I could do was hope to find ways that I could manage my illness. So, soon after, I opted to have private care. I spent £5,000 on having intravenous antibiotic treatment. And, in 2016, I travelled to America to meet a Lyme-disease specialist. The medication they prescribed for me helped –

The disease had stolen my health, career and social life

In the US for treatment

my body didn’t ache as much – but I was still so tired, I couldn’t face going back to work. And three years later, in 2019, I was diagnosed with endometriosis – a condition where tissue of the womb lining grows in other places, such as the ovaries and Fallopian tubes. It can be brought on by

Lyme disease and it’s caused yet more health problems for me. Now, my days are still dictated by my illnesses. I’m living a completely different life from the woman in those glamorous modelling photos. I can’t believe that such a tiny bug has caused me so much anguish.

WHAT IS LYME DISEASE? It is a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans by infected ticks. These ticks are most commonly found in grassy and wooded areas in southern England and the Scottish Highlands. Symptoms include a circular, red skin rash around a bite that can appear up to three months after being bitten and usually lasting several weeks. Those infected also suffer flu-like symptoms, such as headaches, aching muscles and nausea. Around 1,000 cases of Lyme disease are diagnosed in England and Wales every year.

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CRIME

FIRST RIPPER MURDER

The restaurant in Knightsbridge

HOSTAGES TAKEN

n 28 September 1975, nine staff at a London Spaghetti House, were totalling up the week’s takings of almost £13,000, when Franklin Davies, Wesley Dick and Anthony Munroe burst in and forced them into the basement. One of the staff escaped and alerted the police, while the rest were held hostage. The gunmen claimed to represent the Black Liberation Army and demanded safe passage to Jamaica. The police wouldn’t comply, and the gunmen surrendered, releasing the hostages on 3 October. The three men were jailed for a total of 57 years.

1975

YEAR IN CRIMES

DOUBLE DEATHS

ve Stratford, a 22-year-old Playboy Bunny and model, was found dead at her east London home, her throat slashed almost a dozen times, on 18 March 1975. Six months on, Lynne Weedon, 16, was Eve Stratford attacked and raped in west London, and died from her injuries. Both cases went cold. In 2004, advanced DNA techniques confirmed that both girls had been killed by the same person – but, over 40 years on, the killer’s identity is still unknown. Lynne Weedon

IT WAS THE YEAR THAT...

Iron Lady

The Conservative Party chose its first female leader. Margaret Thatcher won the title on 11 February, after successfully challenging the leadership of then Prime Minister Edward Heath.

Movie star

WORDS: FIONA KINLOCH. PHOTOS: PA ARCHIVE/PA IMAGES, ALAMY, GETTY, MIRRORPIX VIA GETTY IMAGES

n 30 October 1975, Wilma McCann (left), then 28, was hit with a hammer and stabbed 15 times in the neck and chest. The attack would herald the start of a ﬁve-year killing spree by Peter Sutcliffe, then 29 – the man who would eventually be known as the Yorkshire Ripper. He went on to kill 12 more women. Serial killer Sutcliffe was interviewed and released Sutcliffe in 1974 nine times by the police – who were following several leads – over the course of the investigation. It was not until 1981 that Sutcliffe eventually confessed, Police search after being spotted after killing in a stolen car with a prostitute, and was arrested. He is currently serving 20 concurrent life sentences.

ROCHDALE GIRL KILLED

n 5 October 1975, 11-yearold Lesley Molseed (right) was kidnapped and killed in her home town of Rochdale. She had been stabbed 12 times. Tax clerk Stefan Kiszko was wrongly convicted and jailed in 1976 but, after serving 17 years, the Court of Appeal acknowledged he couldn’t possibly be the killer. His name was cleared. In 2006, DNA evidence from the murder linked comic-book dealer Ronald Castree to the crime. Found guilty, he was sentenced to life. Kate Winslet was born on 5 October. The British actor has won – among many awards – four Golden Globes, an Oscar for The Reader, and has been Oscar-nominated for her roles in films such as Titanic and Iris.

Chart-toppers

Left: Kiszko, innocent. Right: killer Castree

Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody was released on 31 October. It topped the UK Singles Chart for nine weeks and sold over a million copies by the end of January 1976.

£1,110 cash!

ARROW WORD

Torn piece ➨

Large weir

Seize, ➨ snatch Tough paint Scottish river

➨

Fail to win

➨

Skin spot

➨

Dentures Coin opening

➨

➦

Film actress Ms Thurman Wet earth

Plotter

Tall tree Spacious

➨

Perfume, fragrance Ram’s mate

Less untidy

Gave help to

➨

Diana - - -, A single Motown time singer

➨

Leer at

➨

Charged particle

➨

S T Tropical potato ➨Y A M

As well as

➨

Impish fairy

Hard of Sleeve (of hearing a coat)

➨

Tesco rival ➨ Connive with

➨

Pigs’ home

➨

➦

7th Greek Flying letter mammal

Born as

➨

Citrus fruit

And not

➨

➥

n which country is Mardalsfossen, Northern Europe’s highest waterfall? Solve the puzzle by following the arrows and writing in your answers. Then read ➦ down the letters in the shaded squares to Grub find the prize answer.

Poem

Achieved

➥

➨

Martial art

➨

Hard yellow cheese

➥

➨

Crude mineral

➨

Make mistakes

➥

Puzzle 10

African animal

➨

£1 0

Ant’s TV partner

➦

W, IN00

Annual car check ➨ (inits)

➨

Church Or - - -, seat otherwise ➨

Boy

Very old story

➨

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 for the prize answer.

WIN

£60

PHOTO: GETTY

Puzzle 11

Your answer: 28

5 4 1

WORDSEARCH

WIN

8 9 1 2

£50 Puzzle 12

3 7 4 1

8 3 7 2 5 2 5 4 3 1 7 8 9 3 7 1

A 4

woman in Northamptonshire awoke to find what animal in her garden? The answer is the one missing from the grid.

ALPACA BADGER BULL DEER DONKEY

X O F A Y T N C Y

R M W O L F A E I

T E W M D P K O P

FOX GOAT HORSE MINK OTTER

Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit lifedeathprizes.com/win

A H T E I N A O G

C O E T O N N C N

E R X D O Y K L A

L S I P E E H S P

O E B A D G E R I

PIG POLECAT PONY SHEEP WOLF

P B S L R I S R G

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SHE’S WORTH IT

LITTLE ONE T

he word ‘ffridd’ describes a mixed habitat for wild creatures in which country? Solve the crossword, then read down the yellow shaded squares. These yellow shaded squares will spell out the prize answer. 1

Fake tan at THRE

Judge all you want, my mini pageant queen’s a star

Portia Richmond, 27, Derby

ACROSS 1 Relative by

marriage (2-3) 5 In days gone by (3) 6 European beer (5) 8 Rub out (5)

DOWN 1 Unwell (3) 2 Cover (pipes) (3) 3 Stage of life (3) 4 Less good (5) 7 É Lingus, flight

company (3)

WIN

lowing a kiss to the judges, my gorgeous little girl Amelia, three, held her hand on her hips. She was dressed in a crystal-covered red dress with a lace corset. Her fake tan gave her skin a glow under the bright lights. Make-up and hair done professionally, she looked fantastic. I’d never felt prouder of my confident toddler. It was February 2019, and she was taking part in a beauty pageant in Wigan. But it didn’t come cheap. I’d been scrimping and saving for weeks to pay for the £700 dress. By keeping my weekly food shop to the bare

minimum, I’d managed to get the cost down to just £20. Buying meat in bulk from low-cost supermarkets, I froze big batches of spag bol and meat pies. Stocked up on tins of baked beans. ‘Pasta again tonight, my loves,’ I beamed to Amelia and my son ColesonChristopher, two. Saving on food meant that I could splurge on expensive pageants instead. Amelia had been going to beauty pageants since she was just nine months old. She loved every minute. But they were pricey. Amelia’s hair, hairpiece, fake tan and make-up

cost £200 for each event. Plus, of course, the £120 entry fee and travel expenses to the venue. One pageant could easily set me back £1,000. A single mum, I had to count every penny. But there was no way I’d let Amelia miss out on her time in the spotlight. As a child, I’d been in beauty pageants, too. Adored being the centre of attention and looking glamorous. What’s not to like? Only, now, I never have my own hair done, or treat myself to anything new. This time, it’s all about Amelia. Unfortunately, we rarely go on family holidays abroad, either. The pageants are so expensive, I’ve had to cut back on everything. I’ve repaired old furniture

I’m her mum and I know what’s best for her

£50 Puzzle 13

Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit lifedeathprizes.com/win

I top up Amelia’s tan…

…and she adds a bit of glam

n E

instead of replacing it. Mending an making do. When I star cutting back weekly food s friends and fa their disappr ‘You can’t deprive them of food for the sake of a pageant,’ my aunt said. ‘But they always have healthy, home-cooked food,’ I insisted. ‘They never go without.’ OK, they’re missing out on a few luxuries – like desserts or meals out. But I know Amelia would much rather be in a pageant anyway. Besides, it’s not like we go hungry. Their meals are filling and nutritious. Some people have also said it’s not fair on Coleson-Christopher. But little do they know, I always treat him to a new outfit or toy whenever Amelia’s in a pageant. I’d never leave him out. Others have been particularly nasty. Accusing me of being a bad mum, and saying I treat Amelia like a performing monkey. But I know how much she loves the pageants. Just as much as I love watching her in them. Trying on a new dress, Amelia’s face lights up. She even gets excited when I get out the bottle

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Edge forward

Puzzle 14

Had learned

Bell sound

Coy, bashful

Burial vault

Aden’s country

Precise

Yell like a baby

Coloured (hair)

Cried like an owl

Wet spongy land

In favour of

Hatchet

Flowed back (tide)

Day before

Copying machine

One of a number

Snacks before bed

Envisage

Fruits of the palm

Capital of Canada

Popular pet

__ on, incite

Chumps

Mounted, climbed

Worship

Road surface

Wound by scratching

Droops

Ventilate

sound made by something striking or falling into liquid? 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.

Had a try

Return mail case (inits)

Jewish bread rolls

Italian coin

Shoot up

Manipulate

Your answer:

PHOTO: GETTY

Your answer: 32

At this place

CIRCLE TIME

hile on holiday in Ohio, what did a boy discover that had belonged to a woolly mammoth? Fit the words into the grid, then read down the letters in the shaded circles.

3 letters BED COS CUR TAD TUN VIA 4 letters BEAU COLA

Great wave

DOZE EPIC IBIS ITEM MIDI PALE RATE TUBA 5 letters ATONE

BEANO BLARE MELEE RULER 6 letters BOLERO CAVEAT LARDER MOSAIC REMAIN

SHAVEN STRAIT 8 letters INSECURE

IN W £100 Puzzle 15

TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit lifedeathprizes.com/win

Aunty Nelly ASK

tells it how it is

She’s friends with his ex!

I have a huge problem with my mother-in-law. She was devastated when my hubby divorced his ex, and still gets together with her and their children. Yet, she pays barely any attention to our daughter, who’s four. The final straw was when she treated the ex and her grandkids to a trip to New York. I think she blames me for the fact they aren’t still married. She seems to go out of her way to

3 steps to... Being a good stepmum

wind me up – and it works! What can I do to ignore her? Amy, 37

Let your stepchild set the pace and allow them to define the relationship. Tell them you don’t want to replace their parent, just be a friend, then leave the ball in their court. If they show no interest, don’t panic. The circumstances that brought about the end of their parents’ relationship are most likely to be upsetting. Give them time to process the changes.

I understand how you feel, love, but remember your mother-in-law already had a relationship with the ex and her grandchildren. She might find you unapproachable, or think you don’t want a relationship with her. Try making plans with her, make her feel like you want to be part of her life and she may let you in.

We moved too fast

For starters, you need to calm down. It’s not the biggest mistake of your life, you aren’t I got together with my married and don’t have kids. partner too soon and now We do rush things sometimes, I don’t know how to end it. thinking with our hearts rather It was lust at first sight when we than our heads. met last summer. We were saying Yes, you moved quickly, but ‘I love you’ within days, and it doesn’t make it wrong. The moved in together in October. rose-tinted glasses fall off in Now the honeymoon is all relationships. definitely over for me, but he Take a step back and seems to think everything’s fine. remember why you fell for him. What should I do? If you still feel it’s a mistake, tell Penny, 32 him soon or it’ll just get worse.

Allow the child to call you by whatever name they’re comfortable with and don’t expect to be called Mum or Dad. Decide on a name that works for you both. To forge a bond, you’ll need to be forthcoming.

Discipline should be left to the biological parents, at least at first. Focus on building a positive relationship with your stepchild. This doesn’t mean you won’t have a voice. You can speak privately to your spouse, but in the end they must be the one setting the rules.

Am I a grumpy grandad?

My wife and I have two toddler grandkids, who we love very much. My son and his partner work, so we agreed to have them once a week as childcare is expensive, but I find it tiring and boring. I suggested to my wife we should pay for daycare instead. She says I’m being grumpy and offers to have them more often. I try to stay out of the way. Am I the bad one here? Nick, 72

Firstly, I commend you for being the grandparents who step in to help – as, yes, childcare is pricey. But you’re definitely being grumpy! It’s one day a week, and you should count yourself lucky you can spend time with your precious grandkids. Put your foot down with your wife if one day is really all you can manage, but enjoy your time with them, realise how fortunate you are and cheer up a bit!

Want Aunty Nelly’s advice? Send your problems to chat_magazine@ti-media.com

FACEBOOK.COM/ANTONELLAUNCENSORED. INSTAGRAM.COM/ANTONELLAUNCENSORED. NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED. AUNTY NELLY PHOTO: PHILIPPA GRACE PHOTOGRAPHY. PHOTOS (POSED BY MODELS): GETTY

Our Antonella

CALL THAT JUSTICE?

t happe tomy s won’t rest until the truth comes out cy Todd, 53, Bolton

Me and Michael against the world

hen my son Michael was placed in my arms for the first time, my whole world changed. I was just 15, basically still a child. But I knew, in that moment, I’d do anything for this tiny bundle. Had never felt love like it. Back then, in 1981, being a teenage single mum was frowned upon. Even my own family encouraged me to put him up for adoption. ‘Never,’ I said defiantly. I was ready to prove them all wrong. Me and Michael against the world. I went back to school when he was six months old and his dad’s mum helped me when I needed. And my boy grew into a fine young man. The biggest personality in any room. I went on to have two more sons and three daughters – Tyler, Spencer,

and Taylor. s always acking jokes, teasing me. ‘You’re too easy to wind up,’ he’d tell me. We were best friends. And when he told me he was joining the Army at 18, I burst with pride. ‘My son, the soldier,’ I beamed after seeing him in his uniform. ‘You’re so embarrassing,’ he said as he gave me a hug. He might have loo a tough guy, but I kn was still a Mummy’s While he was train Ireland, I letters he to me an his grand After t years, he left the A and beca a heating engineer. Every day, he ma me proud. Especially when me I was going to b ‘I want lots of min Michaels, please,’ I ‘I can’t wait,’ he s He went on to ha children, doted on But after splittin their mother in 20 moved back in wit And that’s when

to see something was wrong. He began drinking heavily, had terrors in the night. Eventually, he was diagnosed with PTSD. His experiences in the Army had had a lasting impact. But in September 2016, feeling stronger, Michael decided to move out. Wanting his own space, he found a flat nearby. I missed having him around, but I wanted him to

r d. r.

WORDS: EMMA ROSSITER, ANN CUSACK. PHOTOS: FOCUS

Every day, Michael made me proud

and couldn’t wait for me to be a great-grandma, too. So, when he called me one night in July that year, I wasn’t surprised. ‘It’s so noisy in this building,’ he moaned. Someone was playing music loudly. He’d asked them to turn it down. ‘Well you’ve done all you can,’ I reasoned. ‘Just try and ignore it.’ ‘I’ll try Mum. Speak to d. ck

ed. ael’s

My son, the soldier

aid. ping e phone nd ushing und d what ect. nothing have d

ne on? me for what I saw. Police cars and an ambulance outside his block. All their lights flashing. Trying to push my way in, I heard myself screaming. ‘Where’s my son?’ Paramedics were working on him. But the police wouldn’t let me into the building. I begged to see him. ‘Please! If he hears my voice, it might help!’ I sobbed. A paramedic took me aside. I knew then, he was gone. ‘He’s not alive, is he?’ I cried. He simply shook his head. I fell to the floor, my whole world shattered. My boy was dead and no one seemed to know why. Just hours before, I’d been talking to him. He’d told me he’d spoken to his neighbours. I could tell that he’d been drinking. But he couldn’t have just dropped dead! He was a young man, a father, and soon to be a grandfather. How is this happening? Michael’s body was taken away for investigation. We’d barely been apart since that first day in the hospital all those years ago. My heart ached. ‘I’m so sorry,’ I cried as

We always had a laugh together

I told my other children. They were horrified, couldn’t understand it. And neither could I. All I kept thinking was, ‘the truth has to come out’. The police launched a murder investigation. They believed there’d been a ‘disturbance’ at the flat and Michael had been assaulted. It led to eight arrests being made during the course of the investigation. Then the focus turned to two individuals for criminal charges. However, in January 2019, the Crown Prosecution Service threw the case out due to lack of evidence. My last hope of getting justice was at the inquest held at Bolton Coroner’s Court last December. I hoped something definitive might be found. The inquest determined

I’m still no closer to getting closure

that the cause of injury was ‘almost certainly kicking or stamping’. And a pathologist found that a tear in the tissues connecting his organs meant Michael had lost almost two litres of blood. But after three days, the coroner still couldn’t determine how he’d died. She said that the only person who might know what truly happened was Michael himself. I’m still no closer to getting closure over my son’s death. The police have launched

a new appeal, asking anyone with information to come forward. And I’m doing the same. I’m begging you. I’ve lost my son. He’s left three kids without their dad. He’ll never get to meet his grandson, who looks just like Michael did. Nothing will ever bring Michael back. But the least we can do is find out what really happened to him. I’ll keep fighting for the truth for as long as it takes.

Detective Superintendent Jamie Daniels of Greater Manchester Police said, ‘First and foremost, my deepest condolences and thoughts remain with Michael’s family and friends. Despite their devastation and grief, they have conducted themselves with the utmost dignity and bravery since losing Michael. ‘Michael’s family and friends deserve answers and I sincerely believe there is someone in the community who can help them ﬁnd out what happened – I would plead with anyone who has information to think about how it would feel to lose a son, a father or a brother, and contact the police. ‘Anyone with information should contact the police on 0161 856 0055, quoting “Operation Vanity”. Reports can also be made anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.’

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hat is the real first name of actress Tilda Swinton? To find out, solve the puzzle... Fill in the grid. Each letter of the has been replaced by Puzzle 16 a alphabet number from 1 to 26. When you’ve completed the grid, the shaded squares will spell out the one-word prize answer. We’ve given you five letters to start you off.

A B C D G H I J K L M U V W X Y Z P Q R S 6

21 9

22 4

1. RAM PA 2. MORE 3. I BIND SIR 4. FORCE LEN 5. EVEN IC 6. PLANES

IN W £100

PHOTO: GETTY

Puzzle 17

Your answer: 36

N 11

21 20

5 20

17 1

E O

TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit lifedeathprizes.com/win

12 21

24 20

8 2

18 17

P 1 R 2 3 B 4 F V 5 N 6

23 6

hich Italian city is particularly famous for producing balsamic vinegar? Unscramble each group of letters to discover six Italian cities. Now fit them across the grid and you’ll spell out the answer to the question.

WORD JUMBLE

Your answer:

22 10

17 21

16 20

SAVING LIVES

Soldier Armylifegavemestructure, butwhatwasImissing out on? Dawn Barrow, 40, Tiverton, Devon

lutching the teddy that my daughter Sian had given me, I handed it over to a little boy. He needs it more than I do, I thought. See, it was March 2003 and we were in the A&E department of a makeshift 200-bed hospital in Iraq. The little boy had just undergone a double leg amputation, days after witnessing his uncle being shot. Tragedies no child should experience. But this conflict had ripped every ounce of normality from life. Though it was tough to witness, this was all part of the world I’d signed up for. It was 1999 when I’d decided to join the Army. I was 20, a single mother to Sian, then three. But I felt lost, no idea what path to take in life. I knew I needed to plan my future so my daughter had hers. ‘I need direction,’ I sobbed to my mum Lesley, then 49. ‘How about joining the Army? Routine, discipline, something to work towards,’ she suggested. It certainly wasn’t an option I’d ever considered. Yet the more Mum and I discussed the idea, the more I liked it. Leaving Sian behind was a terrifying prospect. But we decided that she would stay with Mum while

I worked on our future. There were no better hands to leave her in. In November 2000, when Sian was 4, I enlisted. And after eight months of training, I qualified as a combat medical technician. Working long shifts in medical units, looking after servicemen and women, I loved every minute. It gave me purpose – a purpose to help others. In 2003, I was deployed to Iraq to work in the advance trauma life-support unit. My biggest challenge yet. ‘I’ll see you soon,’ I waved goodbye to Sian. Though I missed her like crazy, there was barely time to think about home. Working 18-hour shifts out on call with the doctor, or at our makeshift hospital, it was intense. There was a constant threat of bombs and chemical attacks. And seeing decapitated bodies became a daily occurrence for me. It was highly emotional and I cried a lot. Being away from Sian and Mum made it even harder. Sometimes, security risks meant that the post stopped and I’d go weeks without hearing from them. I knew I was missing out on watching Sian grow up. So, when I moved back to the UK after six months, I was relieved. Back home, I worked in medical units, travelling

WORDS: FIONA KINLOCH, CYNTHIA THOMPSON. PHOTOS: CYNTHIA THOMPSON

I was deployed to Iraq–my biggest challenge

Me in 2003: a tough but rewarding job

across the country. Sometimes I could take Sian with me. Sometimes not. When she started secondary school in 2007, I realised I’d already missed out on enough of her childhood. So, I made a decision. ‘I’m quitting the Army,’ I told Mum. It had served its purpose, given me direction in my younger years. But now I’d focus on Sian and my new relationship. I was ready for the next chapter of my life. A chapter that was

heralded by the birth of my little boy Alfie, in 2008. One day, as I was cradling him in my arms, I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have two beautiful children. My thoughts turned to those who weren’t so lucky. To those who couldn’t experience such a wonderful gift without help. It then became clear what direction my life would take next.

You should SEE ME NOW 37

CHANGING LIVES

Mum maker! Continued from previous page

y mission in August 2010, a test became clear. finally revealed that Helping I was pregnant. people who Placing the test in couldn’t help an envelope, I penned themselves a letter to Jenni. had always been my passion. You’re going to be Now I could help a mummy, I wrote. women who weren’t lucky A few days later, enough to be able to have the phone rang. kids themselves... ‘I can’t believe it,’ I could become a surrogate. Jenni sobbed. By February 2010, I’d It was all she had split from Alfie’s dad and ever wanted. was back to being And I was a single mum. giving her the I was working greatest gift. as a sports Recording therapist, but the baby’s there was no movements better time and buying to embark on a heartbeat this adventure. monitor, I wanted With the Jenni and Dale support of Mum and Sian, to be involved in the by then 14, I signed up to a pregnancy every single surrogacy agency. step of the way. Almost instantly, I was And they were there by sent the profile of a couple, my bedside on 21 March Jenni and Dale. 2011, when Daniel was born Arranging to meet up by emergency caesarean. with them, I had no idea Bleary from the op, what to expect. my eyes fluttered open But as they told me about their story, I knew I wanted to do whatever I could to make them a family. ‘I want to help,’ I said. I told them about my time in the Army, how all I wanted was to help others in need. In June 2010, it was finalised. I would carry their baby. I told Mum and Sian and they were both so supportive. It took three self-insemination All together on my big day. L-R: Alfie, William, attempts, using a kit Max, Sian and Daniel from the agency, but

It felt like the most natural thing in the world

I was just looking after baby Daniel

to the sight of Jenni beaming at me. ‘I can’t ever thank you enough,’ she whispered. Handing over Daniel felt like the most natural thing in the world. He’d never been mine, I was just looking after him. Now he was in his mummy’s arms, where he belonged. I was discharged from hospital a few days later, and life went back to normal. I kept in touch with Jenni and Dale. They sent me pictures of Daniel, to let me know how he was doing. And by December 2011, I decided I was ready to be a surrogate for another family. This time round, I decided to carry a

baby for a same-sex couple. Donating my eggs again, it all happened so quickly. Just four months later, after one self-insemination, I was pregnant. Recording the positive pregnancy test on a video, I sent it to Mark and David. Just like Jenni and Dale, they were over the moon. Their son William was born by caesarean on 16 November 2012. Another family complete. Now, I’m still very close to my two surrogate children and their parents. Both William and Daniel were pageboys at my wedding to my partner Matthew, 31, in 2018, along with Alfie and our little boy Max, who’s now 4. Being a surrogate mother has been one of the best things I’ve ever done. I gained a family when I was in the Army, and now it’s even bigger.

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NO FUSS FOOD Top tip This flavourpacked winter warmer is guaranteed to be a family favourite.

Store-cupboard

saviours

Mixed bean hash SERVES 6 PREP 5 MINS COOK 35 MINS 2tbsp vegetable oil ● 1 onion, diced ● 2 cloves garlic, finely diced ● 1 green or red chilli, finely diced ● Salt and pepper ●

1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes 300ml water ● 1tbsp tomato puree ● 1tsp chilli powder ● 1 x 400g can mixed beans ● 1 x 400g can kidney beans ● 1 can sweetcorn ● 300g cooked white rice ● A large handful of coriander ● ●

1 2

In a large saucepan, warm the oil and add the onion and garlic. Cook until soft. Add the diced fresh chilli, salt, pepper, chopped tomatoes, water, tomato puree and chilli powder, and cook for around 20 mins, until the flavours come together as a marinade.

Add the mixed beans and kidney beans, plus the sweetcorn, and cook the mixture for a further 10/15 mins. Check for seasoning and add a little extra salt and pepper, if desired. Serve with some fluffy white rice and a sprinkling of chopped coriander, to taste.

Italian tuna balls with spaghetti For the tuna balls: 1 slice brown bread, lightly toasted and torn into pieces ● 1 medium onion, chopped ● 50g grated hard cheese ● 2 cloves garlic, chopped ● Zest of 1 lemon ● 2tbsp flat-leaf parsley (or 2tsp dried parsley) ● ½tsp salt ● 1tsp freshly ground black pepper ● 2 x 160g cans tuna chunks in sunflower oil, drained (reserving the oil for later) ● 1 large egg ● 40g plain flour ● 1tsp dried oregano ●

For the sauce and pasta: 2tbsp light olive oil ● 1 onion, finely chopped ● ½tsp salt ● ½tsp sugar ● 1tsp freshly ground black pepper ● 3tbsp tomato puree ● 500g passata ● 300g spaghetti ●

Make the tuna balls by blitzing the toasted bread, onion, cheese, garlic, lemon, parsley, salt and pepper in a

food processor using the blade attachment until finely chopped. Add the tuna and egg and pulse briefly until well combined (be careful not to pulse to a puree). Use wet hands to form about 16 tuna balls about 4cm in diameter. Stir together the flour and oregano and roll the tuna balls in it. Place on a plate, cover and chill in the fridge for 30 mins. Meanwhile, make the sauce by heating the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, salt and sugar, then fry for 10 mins until onions are soft and starting to caramelise. Add the pepper and tomato puree, fry for a further 2 mins, then stir in the passata. Turn the heat to low and leave to simmer and reduce for 20 mins. Using the sunflower oil from the cans, fry the tuna balls in batches, for 2-3 mins each side until brown, in a frying pan over a medium heat, turning frequently. Cook the pasta according to pack instructions; drain. Serve in large bowls with the sauce spooned over and the tuna balls on top.

2 3

Top tip Canned tuna gives a tasty twist to this classic Italian dish.

Steak and vegetable pie SERVES 6 PREP 10 MINS, PLUS CHILLING COOK 1HR, 20 MINS 1tbsp light olive oil ● 2 onions, chopped ● 1 parsnip, peeled and cut into batons (3mm thick) ● 1 x 400g can chunky vegetable and beef soup ● 1 x 400g can stewed steak ● 1 x 400g can sliced carrots, drained ● 100g salted butter, cubed ● 225g plain flour, sifted, plus extra for rolling ● 1tsp dried thyme ● Egg wash: 1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt ●

Top tip

This hearty pie is delicious served with a side of seasonal green vegetables.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions, fry for 5 mins, then brown the parsnips. Add the soup and heat on high to reduce the liquid a little. Remove from

heat after 5 mins; set aside. Pour into a 30 x 22 x 3cm metal pie dish with the steak and carrots. Stir well; pop in the fridge to chill. Make the pastry. Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir through the thyme, add 4tbsp cold water and use a knife to pull the pastry together. Shape into a rectangle, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins. Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Roll the pastry to about 3mm thick on a floured surface. Brush the rim of the dish with egg wash, lift the pastry to the top of the pie, being careful not to stretch it. Use a sharp knife to trim edges, then use a fork to flute the pastry lid. Brush the lid with egg wash and bake for 40 mins until golden.

4 5

RECIPES AND PHOTOS: LOVE CANNED FOOD

SERVES 4 PREP 10 MINS, PLUS CHILLING COOK 1 HR

’ This week s TV Our top telly picks Ð you’ll kick yourself if you miss them

The Nation

ITV David Walliams (right) hosts this year’s ceremony live from London’s 02, but things could get awkward because he’s up against his fellow Britain’s Got Talent judge Simon Cowell in the TV Judge category, along with Tom Jones, will.i.am and RuPaul! Meanwhile, having won at the BAFTAs, Emmys and Golden Globes, will Killing Eve score another win or two? As well as a few nods to the soaps, the other awards include TV Presenter – could Ant and Dec triumph in the category for a record 19th time?

elevision Awards

DON’T MISS

Will Killing Eve score another win? Will RuPaul, Simon Cowell or Ant and Dec triumph?

The Windermere Children BBC2 Romola Garai and Tim McInnerny head the cast of this one-off drama, which tells the story of the traumatised children who survived the Holocaust and were brought to Britain to recover in the Lake District. The film also includes interviews with some of the now-elderly survivors.

WORDS: MICHAEL DARLING. PHOTOS: ALAMY, BBC, ITV, LIME PICTURES, NETFLIX

N’T SS

A true story brought to life

The team are back spotting wildlife

The Stranger

Winterwatch BBC2 Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan, Gillian Burke and Iolo Williams return to the Cairngorms National Park, to celebrate winter over four nights this week. Surrounded by the spectacular landscape of the Scottish Highlands,

the team will investigate how the local wildlife, which includes red squirrels, osprey, golden eagles, mountain hare and Scottish wildcats, are coping with the ravages of the winter weather, and explore the effects of climate change on this region.

Siobhan Finneran plays DS Griffin

NETFLIX In this adaptation of the novel by Harlan Coben, Richard Armitage stars as lawyer Adam Price, whose life is turned upside down when a stranger reveals a devastating secret about his wife. The cast also includes Siobhan Finneran and Anthony Head.

23-29 Jan 2020

Soap world

Your STARS

Coronation Street Heartbreak for Maria

Chat astrologer Sally Morgan reads your week ahead

Libra

Ignite your sparkle, as love and passion are set to burn brighter than ever. Communication with a lover brings you to new heights in your relationship.

You won’t be lacking in challenging assignments this week, Librans. It’s a time to show your strengths to management and take the praise coming your way.

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Taurus

Scorpio

An exciting opportunity comes knocking. You’ll be taken aback by what this new offer of employment will entail. Time to reward yourself for your hard work.

Your creative and artistic flair will shine. Designing or building a new project will have the necessary benefits to bring your finances to a new level of rewards.

● Call 0905 817 0691* for more

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Gemini

Sagittarius

Been dreaming about fun in the sun this summer, Gemini, but worried about the pennies? Don’t be, as a great chance to pick up a bargain comes your way.

Take action this week. Booking a course, or joining a dating website, sees small steps leading to giant leaps. It shows determination you didn’t know you had.

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Cancer

Capricorn

You should try to cast your net far and wide this week in order to catch someone’s eye. New love is likely to be drawn to your charisma and charm, resulting in a date.

Career and prosperity prove your past efforts have been worthwhile. It’s time to kick off your shoes, knowing your next step will be fulfilling and your needs will be met.

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Leo

Aquarius

You’re likely to have an epiphany this week as your senses are heightened. Future plans will be made with a partner bringing you light at the end of the tunnel.

You won’t believe how your luck is changing this week, as someone will be keen to bring a smile to your face. A grand gesture and offer bring you lots of excitement.

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Virgo

Pisces

Not a week to stagnate or exercise just your mind. Be the true Trojan you were born to be by going to the sports centre to improve your health and fitness.

It’s time to find your assertive voice – others will certainly pay attention if you do. Putting on a show of strength is important to impress someone.

● Call 0905 817 0695* for more

● Call 0905 817 0701* for more

21 March-20 April

Maria is devastated by her miscarriage

EastEnders Leo falls to his death? Despite Whitney telling him to get lost, Leo’s made it clear that he’s not going anywhere, but are we about to see the back of him this week? When Leo causes a scene with Whit at The Prince Albert, Kush intervenes and in the scuffle Leo gets pushed over the bar’s balcony. Will he survive?

Aries

21 April-21 May

Leo is pushed from a balcony

22 May-21 June

Emmerdale Priya’s grisly discovery As Priya and Billy search for missing pooch Tip, they’re horrified to discover Graham’s body in a tunnel. Rhona’s devastated when the police break the news and reveal that it looks like murder. How long will it be before they catch up with the killer?

22 June-23 July Priya stumbles across Graham’s lifeless body

Hollyoaks Jordan makes his mark He’s been knocking about in the village since Christmas, but this week drug dealer Jordan makes his presence known among the locals, which seriously unnerves his poor cousin Sid. In the meantime, the Nightingales try to stop Juliet from making a big mistake.

24 July-23 Aug

Jordan steps out of the shadows

24 Aug-23 Sep

24 Sep-23 Oct

24 Oct-22 Nov

23 Nov-21 Dec

22 Dec-20 Jan

21 Jan-19 Feb

20 Feb-20 March

*STARLINES UPDATED EVERY THURSDAY. CALLS COST 80P PER MIN PLUS YOUR TELEPHONE COMPANY’S NETWORK ACCESS CHARGE AND LAST AROUND 4 MINS. FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. USERS MUST BE OVER 18. YOU MUST HAVE THE BILL PAYER’S PERMISSION. SP: SPOKE 0333 202 3390.

Maria discovers that she had a miscarriage because she’s caught measles. When she learns that Daniel’s baby son Bertie has also had it, Maria’s fella Gary goes on the warpath after he finds out that Daniel chickened out of getting all the tot’s jabs done.

Diet o

DANGEROUSLY LARGE

I was so big, I thought I’d suffocate my own son Becky Hill, 32, Bromyard

WORDS: MISHAAL KHAN, EMMA ROBERTSON

alking into the playground, a dozen sets of eyes dart from my face

to my chest. ‘ET!’ a couple of the lads yelled at me. They weren’t referring to the little alien on a bicycle. For me, ET stood for something else. Enormous tits. Not kind. But, to be fair, they weren’t wrong. I’d started developing early – and by 15, I was wearing a 36DD bra. I was a size 16, too. Bigger and bustier than all the girls in my class. Always piled my plate high, had seconds. Having massive breasts meant buying unflattering clothes. A neckline too low made it look like I was trying to get attention. Really, it was the opposite – I was fed up with the stares! Though I knew losing weight could help, years passed and I could never find the motivation. When my twins Isla and Chloe were born in March 2011, I was a size 18-20. And, busy with my

I’d always been bigger – and bustier

babies, food became about convenience. Pre-packed sandwiches and crisps for lunch. Cheesy pasta or ready meals for dinner. After the girls, my boobs grew even more, to a 42G. ‘Sorry, we don’t stock G-cups,’ the sales assistants told me sympathetically time and again. Seeing my smaller-busted friends in strappy tops, I burned with envy. Desperate to hide away, I layered up in jumpers and baggy trousers, and even started to cover my arms with tattoos. In May 2016, determined to lose my pregnancy weight, I cut out carbs, tried

Holding my baby boy was hard

meal-replacement shakes. But I was hungry and miserable, and soon was back to binging. On Christmas Day 2016, my greatest gift was an unwrapped one. A positive pregnancy test! I was elated, but my plans to lose weight before my 30th the following summer went out the window. A few months into my pregnancy, it wasn’t just the baby making me bulge. My eating was out of control. I was soon a size 22-24. Because of my weight, I was regularly monitored. And by the end of my third trimester, I was using crutches to get around. ‘We’re worried about your health, and your baby’s,’ the doctor said. ‘If it’s best for us both, I’ll have him early,’ I said, feeling guilty. At 38 weeks, Rupert was

born by caesarean, weighing 8lb 4oz. As I held him, I struggled to breastfeed. Compared with my huge boobs, his head looked tiny. Holding him close, he almost disappeared into my folds. I’ll suffocate him, I panicked. The nurse could see that I was struggling. ‘Try holding him as if he was a rugby ball. Women with a larger frame find it easier,’ she said. As she walked away, I burst into tears. No one had ever been so blunt with me. Taking Rupert home, we settled into family life. Rupert’s dad, Paul, 40, was great, but there was one thing he couldn’t help with – breastfeeding. Despite trying every position and angle, I couldn’t get Rupert comfortable when feeding. My boobs and belly just got in Not these days! the way. With sisters And after six Chloe and Isla days, I gave up. ‘I’ll have to bottle-feed him,’ I sighed. I knew that it would’ve been easier if I was smaller. So, in October 2017, I tried to lose weight again. And after failing

Compared with my boobs, my baby’s head looked tiny

or bust! the shakes diet again, I joined Slimming World in January 2018. Taking Rupert along, I felt a combination of dread and excitement. The thought of At the start of standing on the my journey... scales in front of everyone made me anxious. I hit 11st 8lb. But this time A 10st loss! I was determined. My bra size The excuses had poured dropped to 34G. out over the years: Though I’d spent ‘I’m eating for two.’ years complaining ‘Being pregnant with about them, I twins made me put on so missed my old boobs. much weight.’ Losing so much ‘I haven’t got time to cook weight meant that healthy meals.’ they weren’t as full But it was all nonsense. as before. Now I wanted to make my I still have to fork children proud. out for decent bras, At my first weigh-in, but being lighter has I peeked at the scales. had such a huge impact 21st 8lb. on my life. ‘I can’t believe I’ve let Wearing a size 12, I’m myself get so big,’ I sighed. gradually rebuilding ‘This is the start of your my wardrobe. journey,’ my consultant But, most importantly, reassured me. I’m now able to do more So later, while the girls did stuff with the kids. their homework, I planned The girls are my our meals for the week. biggest cheerleaders. Swapping fry-ups for Rupert won’t ever fruit and yogurt, I ditched remember what his mummy my ready meals and used to look like. fatty sandwiches. Won’t recall when I worried I started cooking from he’d suffocate in my bust! scratch – chilli, bolognese Now, I weigh 11st 6½lb and curries. and this year, I plan to do a Used up the leftovers for charity skydive. the next day’s lunches. It’s been on my bucket list And, slowly, the weight for a long time, but I was started dropping off. always too heavy. By November 2019, Not any more!

...and today. IÕve lost 10st!

YOU LITTLE BEAUTY

LOOK GREAT TODAY

Your questions answered, plus our pick of the products

COMPILED BY: JESS BEECH. PHOTOS (MAIN IMAGE POSED BY MODEL): GETTY, ONOKY

Shampoo bars seem to be all the rage, but how do I use them? Michelle Briant, 53

LETTEeR of th ! week

Highly concentrated, shampoo bars not only help you cut down on packaging (and are brilliant for travelling light!) but will last longer than your average shampoo, as well. The way you apply them is slightly different to using a normal, liquid shampoo – either rub the bar between your hands or smooth it over your hair to create a lather, before massaging this into your hair and scalp. Bars can take longer to wash out than normal shampoo and won’t lather as much so, for that squeaky-clean feeling, you might want to lather and wash twice. Try Ethique Mintasy Solid Shampoo for Normal to Dry Hair,

Acting Beauty Editor Jess Beech shares her favourites

No7 Custom Blend Highlighting Drops in White Gold, £13.50, Boots Not strictly a primer, but brilliant for giving winter skin a much-needed glow. Apply after your moisturiser and just before your foundation. Rimmel London Matte Primer, £7.99, Superdrug Surprisingly light, this leaves skin velvety soft, while keeping excess oil at bay. Great for helping your foundation stay put for longer.

with real peppermint oil, £12.99, Holland & Barrett. Or Rescue My Hair Smooth Shampoo Bar, with its blend of five oils to help revitalise hair and scalp, £13.95,

TRIED AND TESTED Neutrogena Clear & Soothe Clay Mask, £5.99, Boots Working like a magnet, this clay-based mask draws dirt and grime out of your pores for a clearer complexion. But, thanks to the addition of calming turmeric, it won’t dry out your skin, but leave it soft and comfortable.

3 OF THE BEST PRIMERS

Barry M Grape Nail Shot Nail & Cuticle Oil, £3.99, Superdrug Cold weather can wreak havoc on your nails, with thirsty cuticles leading to splitting and breaking. This oil is best applied once a day – shake to mix the oil layers, before massaging in.

beautybay.com – and, if you want to swap conditioner, too, Jungle Solid Conditioner, £7, Lush, has nourishing oils that help to tame your mane.

L’Oreal Elvive Dream Lengths Frizz Killer Serum, £8, Boots Banish frizz and flyaways around the hairline. Heat resistant up to 230C, apply this serum to damp hair before blowdrying or use sparingly on dry hair for touch-ups between washes.

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Revlon Ultra HD Vinyl Lip Polish in Act Natural, £8.99, Superdrug Combining the longlasting colour of a liquid lipstick with the ultra-shiny finish of a gloss, this is a dream to apply – giving full colour coverage in just one slick. Team this nude shade with a bold look for your eyes.

NYX Bare With Me Radiant Perfecting Primer, £12, Asos Super soothing, thanks to hempderived cannabis sativa seed oil, this creates a smooth, soft-focus base for make-up.

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Got a beauty question? Send your problems to chat_magazine@ti-media.com

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Puzzle 18

PHOTOS: ALAMY, GETTY

he 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 that the answers are in alphabetical order in each section. However, one answer can’t be found in the grid. This is your prize answer.

THE SILVER SCREEN – STAR What is the name of John Boyega’s character in the later Star Wars films? (4) Who co-starred with Bradley Cooper in the 2018 film A Star Is Born? (4, 4)

S T A R D U S T S R D

M E B E N R N R R T L

N O I S S U C R E P S

E E S C E F S A V A L

What is the title of the 2007 fantasy film starring Charlie Cox as Tristan, who goes on an adventure to find a falling star, played by Claire Danes? (8)

WHERE IN THE WORLD? – SQUARE St Basil’s cathedral is found in Red Square, in which capital city? (6) What is the Italian word for an open public

4 5 10. What’s Leo’s film?

M E R C P E G T I A T

M H A D O A E B R E R

A E H Z G W F E D P A

I E D B N A T E I H A

L A N N L L I L N N L

L N O I A O O P N Y G

I E U N S L O G I U A

S Q T L O H C D M E R

E I T H G I R Y P O C

C M I T S U B I S H I

square in a town or city? (6) The National Portrait Gallery is situated off which London square? (9)

CIRCLE In text, what is indicated by a small c inside a circle? (9) Who presented the 2019 series of reality TV show The Circle? (4, 6) Which actress played the main character in the 1995 film adaptation of the Maeve Binchy novel Circle Of Friends? (6, 6)

7 8 9

DIAMOND What word completes the title of a 2006 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Connelly, … Diamond? (5) Which Japanese car-manufacturing company has three red diamonds as its logo? (10)

TRIANGLE In which ocean is the area known as the Bermuda Triangle? (8) What term is given to a triangle that has three sides of equal length? (11) To which section of an orchestra does the triangle belong? (10)

10 3. Name the movie

W O E Y Z I T A E W F

4. Which capital city is this?

Which actor played James Bond in the 1971 film Diamonds Are Forever? (4, 7)

13 14

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Chaya Robertson, 63, Borehamwood, Herts

WORDS: FRANCES LEATE. PHOTO (NOT ACTUAL HOLIDAY): GETTY

hrowing a stick across the field, I watched as my little Cairn terrier Tikvah ran after it. Her name means ‘hope’, and my little dog is always there by my side. But she’s not the only one that has been supportive in good and bad times. Looking back now, in February 2019, I wonder what I would have done without my best friend Ruth, 69, over the years. We met more than 30 years ago, when we went to the same synagogue. Ever since that time, we’ve been best buddies

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HOLIDAY TIME

s n o s a e 6 r sit… to vi

The city is the 2020 European Capital of Culture, so now’s the time to visit Get into town

Explore the shops on lively Quay Street in the heart of Galway, where buskers and street performers will entertain you along the way. There are plenty of independent Irish shops, cafes and pubs. Walk five minutes to browse Galway’s symbolic and historic jewellery at Thomas Dillon’s Claddagh Gold, which has been making original Claddagh rings for more than 250 years.

Visit the markets

Wander around busy Church Lane, where Galway’s famous markets are open every Saturday all year around. Walk among the hundreds of stalls bursting with local produce and beautiful arts and crafts – from mouth-watering crêpes to Connemara glass and handcrafted Celtic jewellery. Once you’ve finished exploring, don’t miss medieval St Nicholas’ Church. It dates from 1320.

St Nicholas’ is a must-see

Shop to it on Quay Street

Go the scenic route

Head to Connemara National Park for breathtaking views of Galway’s coast, mountains and islands. Starting at the visitor centre, you can observe the gorgeous scenery on a walk to Diamond Hill, with its peak of 442m. The route includes a surfaced path for easy access and four different trails to suit all the family. Take advantage of the free entry to discover picturesque woodland and the Connemara ponies.

The colours of Galway Bay

Take a day trip

Immerse yourself in Galway’s history and take a ferry to the Aran Islands just off the mouth of Galway Bay. Discover spectacular cliffs, medieval castles, religious ruins, and islanders speaking the local Irish language. There are sandy beaches and cosy Aran sweaters for sale to keep you wrapped up. Stay overnight if a day trip isn’t enough.

Catch a ferry to Inisheer

Try traditional food

The garden at An Púcán

If you’re looking to sample Galway’s traditional cuisine, try the awardwinning An Púcán on Eyre Square. Order the Irish whiskey and food tasting platter: Irish cheese and Galway Bay smoked salmon on brown bread, followed by a chocolate brownie and Jameson Black Barrel whiskey. Enjoy live traditional music every evening with a pint of creamy Guinness for a real cultural experience.

Where to stay

Breathtaking Connemara

WORDS: KATE O’GORMAN. PHOTOS: ALAMY, AN PUCAN, GALWAY BAY HOTEL, GETTY

Rest up at the Galway Bay Hotel in vibrant Salthill. Overlooking Galway Bay, it’s only five minutes from the city centre. Treat yourself to a glass of wine at the cosy hotel or a stroll along the promenade, but dress warmly as it tends to be quite windy by the sea. Don’t forget to pop into Galway’s indoor family entertainment centre at Seapoint for games, slot machines and more.

Stay snug at the Galway Bay Hotel

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CRIME-BUSTING

3 CLUESTHETO

KILLE

How a moustachioed monster was finally brought to justice

Joanne Walters Seven life sentences: Ivan Milat

WORDS: MISHAAL KHAN. PHOTOS: GETTY, PA

or backpackers seeking adventure, Australia has always been a common destination. Over the years, young travellers have flocked there to explore. But three decades ago, it was the scene of a series of mysterious disappearances. From 1989 to 1992, when travellers were going missing, police were unable to find them – or a link between the cases. But then, bodies were discovered. Seven of the missing people, aged 19 to 22. They’d been stabbed or shot, and partially buried in a forest. And slowly, the authorities be an to join the dots... Police at one Picked up burial site while they’d been hitch-hiking along a long stretch of road between Sydney and Melbourne, the backpackers had been killed and then

dumped in shallow graves in the Belanglo State Forest. One had been decapitated, another sexually assaulted. It was one of the most notorious strings of murders Australia had ever seen – and the hunt for the killer was on. In May 1994, Ivan Milat, 49, was arrested. In court, his defence tried to shift the blame to others, even Milat’s own brother. But eventually, in July 1996, Ivan Milat was found guilty of seven counts of murder. He received a life sentence for each life he stole, with no chance of parole. For more than two decades, e appealed his verdict, never dmitting to the murders. He rofessed his innocence until he died of cancer in prison last October, aged 74. We look at the clues that led authorities to the terrifying An identikit image Aussie killer. of the suspect

James Gibson

Caroline Clarke

Deborah Everist

Simone Schmidl

Gabor Neugebauer

THE LUCKY ONE

O CATCH...

ACKER

Milat laughs as he leaves court in 1997

THE MURDER VICTIMS

n September 1992, two runners found a body in a shallow grave in the Belanglo State Forest. As police searched the area, a second corpse was unearthed. Identified using dental records, the bodies were named as British travellers Caroline Clarke, 21, and Joanne Walters, 22. Caroline had been shot in the head 10 times, Joanne had been stabbed 35 times. The pair had been reported missing five months earlier. Then, in October 1993, a man searching for firewood found bones in a secluded part of the forest. Those bones belonged to two more victims – Australians James Gibson and his girlfriend Deborah Everist, both 19. Missing since December 1989, they’d been stabbed and beaten to death. Forensic tests later showed that the victims were probably all killed by the same person. A month later, a fifth body, that of 21-year-old German tourist Simone Schmidl, was discovered. She’d gone missing in January 1991. Just a few days on,

2 Paul Onions

the remains of Gabor Neugebauer, 21, and his girlfriend Anja Habschied, 20, missing since December 1991, were found 80 metres apart from each other. Young people’s lives cut horrendously short. It was only later, during the police investigation, that officers realised Milat had yet more victims. His criminal history revealed that at the age of 25, in 1971, Milat had picked up two 18-year-old female hitch-hikers. Threatening to kill them with a knife, he’d raped one of the women before the pair had escaped. With rape charges and armed-robbery charges looming over him, Milat had left his shoes by a well-known suicide spot known as The Gap. Faking his own death, he’d gone off the radar for three years. When he was found, the charges had been dropped. But in 1977, he’d picked up two more hitch-hikers – again, a pair of 18-year-old women. When Milat had tried to pounce, the duo had managed to escape his evil clutches. They’d described a man with ‘black straggly hair’.

ritish backpacker Paul Onions was picked up by Milat in a white Toyota Land Cruiser as he hitch-hiked from Sydney to Mildura in January 1990. But Paul, 23, soon sensed something was wrong. Milat had begun talking offensively, making racist remarks. Approaching the Belanglo State Forest, Milat pulled over, telling Paul he wanted to get some music tapes. But instead, Milat pulled out a gun and some rope, telling the hitch-hiker he was about to be robbed. Paul didn’t waste another second, jumping out of the car. Running for his life, he heard gunshots behind him. Desperate, he tried to flag down other cars. Finally picked up by grandmother Joanne Berry, Paul went to the nearest police station. But authorities didn’t follow it up, and the report outlining what happened to Paul sat collecting dust. Meanwhile, Milat went on to kill five people... It wasn’t until Paul was safely back home in the UK, watching the news reports of bodies discovered in the same area, that he contacted Australian Federal Police. Joanne Berry also contacted police separately around the same time, telling them about the day she saved Paul. Paul became a key witness in Milat’s trial. Without his testimony, who knows whether Milat would ever have been found and convicted?

3 THE HOUSE SEARCH

ilat’s own brother, Alex, went to the police, without knowing he was putting his sibling in the frame for the murders. Trying to help with the search for the missing backpackers, he gave officers crucial information. He claimed to have seen two cars heading to the Belanglo State Forest. Inside the vehicles, he said he’d seen a number of men and two bound, gagged women. Ivan Milat lived near the forest. He had no solid alibi for the days the backpackers went missing. The police put him under surveillance. They waited to gather

Milat’s home

enough evidence for a search warrant. Then, in May 1992, they got the clue they needed. Alex told officers that Ivan had given him and his wife a backpack as a gift. Police discovered that it belonged to Simone Schmidl, one of the victims. In a dramatic raid, police stormed Ivan Milat’s house. Inside, they found clothes and camping equipment belonging to the murdered backpackers. There were sleeping bags, a tent, backpacks and a portable stove. Trophies of Milat’s evil killings. Police found guns, gags, home-made handcuffs and a large knife, too. Finally, they had their murder suspect.

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A letter to…

My b wife Dear Amanda,

Shining bride: with (L-R) Taylor, Jakson, me and Mcauley

Our first dance was to A Thousand Years

by Christina Perri that I spotted pain in your eyes. Then, weeks after the wedding, we got more bad news. We discovered that the chemotherapy treatment was so strong that it was likely to make you very ill. There was a risk that it would weaken your immune system so much that you could end up having weeks to live. Without it, you’d have months. ‘I want as much time with you all as possible,’ you said, bravely declining treatment. In your final weeks, you planned your funeral, prepared memory boxes. But by August, you moved into the Macmillan unit at Antrim Hospital. All they could give you was pain relief. ‘I want to come home,’ you said a few weeks later. It was on 23 August 2018 that I hugged you tight as the kids gathered around. Just 10 weeks after our wedding, you passed away. You were only 43. My

heart felt like it had been ripped out – and the kids were in pieces, too. At your funeral, we played your favourite Whitney Houston song, I Will Always Love You, in tears. A beautiful service for a beautiful woman. Looking through our wedding photographs now, I try to suppress my sadness. Try not to dwell on the years of joy we were denied. Instead, I think of all the happy memories we shared. I still feel so lucky to have met you – and, for that, I thank you, my darling bride. Forever your hubby,

Alan x

Alan Vance, 54, County Antrim Alan and his family have raised nearly £5,000 for Links2Pink and the Macmillan unit. For more info, visit links2pink.co.uk

WORDS: ANNA MATHESON, HARRIET ROSE-GALE . PHOTOS: SWNS

t took just a couple of dates in 2008 to know you were The Amanda with her One. We just clicked. daughter Sian Quickly, we became one big, happy family. Your daughter Sian, then 4, and my three sons Taylor, 13, Mcauley, 12, and Jakson, 4. I counted my lucky stars that I’d found someone so beautiful and kind. a type of cancer that I wanted to put a ring on your finger. Only, money was affects the soft tissues,’ the tight, our kids were young. consultant said. It was in May 2015 that I We were shell-shocked. finally popped the question. And seeing the kids’ faces ‘Of course!’ you beamed. crumple as we told them We set a date for the the news was something wedding in November 2018. I will never forget. But that As it was a April, you rare cancer, we booked a doctor’s had to wait appointment for doctors to after struggling work out a to catch treatment plan. your breath. ‘Let’s bring ‘Doc said the wedding it’s pleurisy,’ forward,’ you you told me. told me that day. Inflamed tissue around And on 14 June 2018, I your lungs. cried as I watched Mcauley You were given painkillers walk you down the aisle. but while on holiday in Taylor was my best man Portugal, things got worse. and Jakson walked with your You were barely able to mum. And, of course, Sian make it to the sunlounger was your maid of honour. before getting out of breath. You shone as a bride, Back home, a scan at didn’t look like a woman the hospital showed two with a terrifying diagnosis. shadows on your lungs. It wasn’t till out first ‘You have leiomyosarcoma, dance to A Thousand Years

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