chat 456 he6

23 JAN 2020 ISSUE 4

heoriginalreal-lifema

SNOG WITH A SERIAL KILLER

My tongue was CUT OUT before I said ‘I do’

My life was in his hands

BANNED

from kissing my babies

I caught my hubby abusing our boy BAKE IT! Biccies ready in 30 mins

FAKE IT! Leather looks to suit you

PLUS!

BPRIIZGE

PUZZLES

LOCKED UPWITH SMILING SEX SICKO Docs had to rebuild me

Come on in!

Welcome to this week’s Chat...

p54

p10

H

COVER PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/NAS CREATIVES

er son only nipped out to the chippy – now Helen is having to raise thousands of pounds to bring him home (p10).

Miranda’s parents feared they’d never get justice for her murder, until a shock confession two decades later (p54).

After watching his mum suffer for years, Harry p42 was given the same diagnosis. But he found a fabulous way to cope (p18).

There’s loads p12 more real life, your fave prize puzzles and more – including easy biscuit recipes (p42) and fashion (p12). Get that kettle on!

Contents

p18

On the cover

More true stories Your favourites

Get puzzling

6 Locked up with smiling sex sicko 12 Fake it! Leather looks to suit you 20 Banned from kissing my babies 24 My tongue was cut out before I said ‘I do’ 36 I caught my hubby abusing our boy 42 Biccies ready in 30 mins 46 Snog with a serial killer

10 Mum’s mission: I’ll bring my boy home 16 Murder at the mansion?

18 Worries? I’ll just sashay away!

30 Bingo winner 32 We’re starkers for barkers 39 Dodge the snapper!

54 Cold case, cold heart 58 A letter to…

My first crush

8 8 8 10 15 23 23 23 23 28 28 28 32 34 34 38 38 49 56

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3

Picture perfect Another u - led

e n Chat land Rocco our rescue dog loves cuddling up to his sister Elsa.

Don Hughes, Totland Bay

Here I am, in the middle, nearly 80 years ago with my cousin Betty (left).

During World War Two, we spent a lot of time in South Wales with my grandad, in particular at the local welfare park enjoying the swimming pool.

Betty’s parents had been killed in one of the early raids over London, and she’d been pulled out of the wreckage alive.

Barbara Ketteridge, London We had a great time on our dream holiday, on the west coast of America. Ticked off the bucket list and already can’t wait to go back!

Mandy and David Fairley, Gateshead

The look on my son Kyron’s face after he hurt his ankle on a trampoline and ended up on crutches!

I’m happy to report he’s all better now and back to his cheeky self!

Tulin Morrison, Stanley

My cat Clio is determined she will fit into the box, even if it’s clearly too small!

Esther Chilton, Newbury

My adorable daughter Georgia, 4, loves baking treats. Here she is trying her hand at gingerbread cookies!

Amanda Kay, Ashton-underLyne

My hubby Philip and I went to a Peaky Blinders fancy dress evening in our village, where I won first prize for my costume!

Jennifer Gee, Stafford

Me and my wonderful husband Ernie recently celebrated his working 40 years in BT. I’m so proud of him!

Martina Galbraith, Enniskillen

for any photos

£25

I just bought my very best friend Kiera her first ever issue of Chat. She loves it!

George Johnston, York

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

Here’s my lovely daughter Lacey on her 2nd birthday – what a diva!

Lisa Soffe, Stratford-upon-Avon

5

Nothing to smile about NIGHT OF HORROR

As the doctors pieced me back together, the thug who put me in hospital was grinning for the camera

S WORDS: KARA O’NEILL, FIONA LOCKE

Natalie Freeman, 29, Rochdale

ipping my drink, I turned to face the man who’d just tapped me on the shoulder.

‘Craig?’ I gasped.

Silly question. I’d recognise that grin anywhere.

It was late 2014, and I was at the pub with friends – didn’t expect to be bumping into my ex.

Craig and I had gone out together when I was 16 and he was 21. He was a charmer, even if he was missing a front tooth!

But I soon realised Craig also had a nasty temper.

‘I never liked him,’ my sister Emma, then 14, said to me when Craig and I split three years later.

Now, here he was again.

As we chatted over beers at the bar, a familiar spark was reignited.

‘It’s always been you,’ he told me, giving me that big smile. And he made me melt all over again.

After that, I saw Craig most days, and it wasn’t

6

long before I fell pregnant.

We hadn’t planned it, but Craig was delighted.

‘We’ll be a proper family!’ he said to me.

Those first weeks were so exciting as we chatted about what we’d call our baby, whether we’d have a boy or a girl.

Then, in May 2015, at my 12-week scan, the sonographer couldn’t find a heartbeat.

‘I’m sorry to say you’ve miscarried,’ a doctor confirmed.

I turned to Craig, a lump in my throat.

But all I saw was his back as he stormed out of the room.

He’s upset, too, I thought, walking home alone.

But Craig didn’t answer my calls or texts and I didn’t see him for days.

Grieving for our baby, I’d never felt so lonely.

Finally meeting at a pub,

wrist was throbbing.

‘I think it’s broken,’ I sobbed.

‘It’s your fault for being so fat,’ Craig hissed at me.

At the hospital, I told a nurse what he’d done.

Craig was arrested and charged with assault.

He was sentenced to 32 months and handed a life-long restraining order.

As I built a new life, what happened with Craig felt so far away.

Then, in April 2018, I got a Facebook Craig Moran message out of the blue.

We need to talk, Craig wrote.

Craig started an argument.

I almost said no. But Stepping outside, there part of me wanted an was nobody around as Craig explanation, an apology. continued to So I agreed. yell at me.

Yet again, he reeled off all ‘It’s your fault the right things. you lost our ‘I’m sorry, I’ll never lay a baby,’ he spat. finger on you again,’ he said.

I started to Maybe he’s finally walk off, but he changed, I thought. followed me.

For the next few months, Then he things were great. threw me to the Until, one Friday night in ground. Falling on my wrist, February 2019, Craig’s I heard a crunch. mood darkened.

I cried out in fear as I saw Yelling, calling me names, Craig’s trainer hurtling he put his foot through my towards my face…

TV. He chased me outside When I came to, in an and punched me in the face. alleyway, blood was pouring After he finally left, down my cheek and my I realised that he’d swiped

‘Today is the day you die,’ he told me, eyes blazing

ut

Don’t let this be you...

I was battered from head to toe

my purse and phone.

The next day, I went round to Craig’s tower block.

‘I want my stuff back,’ I said when he answered the intercom.

He came down, and offered me a drink if I went up to the flat.

‘Just one,’ I muttered, needing the courage.

But, by the time I’d drained my glass, it was dark. With no money for a

taxi, I ended up staying over.

When I woke up the next day, Craig had already started drinking. As I sat on the bed, his fist came out of nowhere and hit my face.

I cried out in pain but, his eyes blazing, Craig kept on.

‘Today is the day you die,’ he told me as my blood splattered the walls.

He grabbed an empty spirits bottle and whacked it down so hard on my leg

I heard my bone snap.

By the time Craig was done with me, pain radiated from every inch of my body.

‘I need to go to hospital,’ I begged him.

But he refused. Instead, he forced me to engage in sexual activity – I didn’t dare say no.

After two days locked up in the flat, Craig let me go to A&E. ‘If you tell them it’s me, you’ll be sorry,’ he warned, dragging me into the lift.

I lay collapsed in a heap until a couple found me, rushed me to hospital, where I called Mum. ‘I need you to call the police,’ I told a nurse.

Within less than an hour, Craig had been arrested.

‘What’s he done to you?!’ my sister Emma cried as she arrived on the ward.

Battered from head to toe, my hair matted with blood, I looked like something from a horror film.

I needed surgery on my leg, too – a metal plate and pins to fix the broken bone.

After a few days in hospital, I was allowed home. But my injuries took weeks to heal and I suffered from terrible flashbacks.

At first, Craig denied everything. Seeing his grinning mugshot, I felt physically sick.

There he was, smiling

smugly for the camera, while I’d been in hospital with the doctors piecing me back together.

If only I’d trusted my instincts about that smile all those years ago, I thought.

In August 2019, at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court, Craig Moran, 34, admitted two counts of assault, sexual activity without consent, threats to kill and breaching a restraining order.

I went to the sentencing, didn’t want Craig’s last image of me to be the battered, broken one at his feet.

When the judge handed him 18 years, Emma hugged me as I cried with relief.

Now I’m sharing my story in the hope that no other women will have to learn this lesson the hard way.

Violent thugs like Craig Moran never change.

After two days locked in his flat, he let me go to A&E

If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Centre for Domestic Violence helpline for free on 0800 970 2070. In an emergency, always call 999.

I’m relieved he’s behind bars

7

£500 cash!

NUMBER JIG T

he trousers and jacket that Olivia Newton-John wore in the film Grease sold for how many US dollars at auction? Fit these numbers into the grid.

One number doesn’t fit. This is the prize answer.

938 982

3 digits 142 404 410 612 633 686 741 848 887 933

4 digits

WIN0

£25

Puzzle 1

9

54652 56527 68136 74434 98886

1843 2836 3254 3920 4076 4231 4441 8589 8772

3 8

6 digits 274032 288738 405700 532456 754553 888265

5 digits

7 digits

15543 26344 31330 32828 45138 46317

1528402 3107684 6183595 9730003

8 digits 62144511

Your answer:

PIECEWORD hat is the world’s most common eye colour? The number next to the clue tells you which line the answer’s in. We’ve put a section in to start you off! There may be two Across answers in one line. Down words fill themselves in. The shaded squares spell 1 out the one-word 2 prize answer.

3

W

C * M I E M E C W S E A T R * Y O G * R A L L B * E A T D I T E R

Puzzle 2

5 6

L O D R O I N O * W * H T W O I N S U M B I E

8

I C * C A W E * *

7 9

1 Grill 2 Garland of flowers • Have a meal 3 Water-pipe fitter 4 Look, manner • Of speech

8

£150

4

B L E I * P L

Your answer:

WIN

5 6 7 8 9

Pair, couple Hindu teacher • Revise text Tuneful Mass of water • Crow’s cry Light wash

TAKE THREE W

hat does a heliotropic plant always turn towards? The three answers in this puzzle read the same across and down. The clues are given, but not in the right order. Read down the shaded squares to spell the prize answer.

W4INx

£25

SKY BLUE SPRUCE YOURSELF UP POSTAGE TOKEN

Puzzle 3

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

Genius Just

Your tips are the tops!

Perfectpress Iron shirt collars using a straightening iron for a precise finish.

Sue Clarke, Middlesbrough

I couldn’t afford a bed guard to stop my daughter falling out of bed. Instead, I rolled one of her pillows and tucked it under her bed sheet. Works so well my friends have pinched the idea!

Sophie Palmer, Nether Stowey

My wellies had split, so I decided to cut them down and turn them into a pair of gardening shoes instead.

Gaynor Chamberlain, Leicester

Budget brew

Every lastbit Don’t throw away your old tubes of face cream, etc.

Cut off the base and seal with a freezer clip. So much more usage, and saves your money, too!

Tony Smith, Matlock

For every photo tip that we print

Time toupcycle

Rollup!

I live on my own and as a pensioner, I have a low income.

To save on my electricity bill, I use a flask all day so need to boil the kettle only once in the morning.

Jackie Crowe, Brightlingsea

£25

DIYrail If you’ve no space on door handles for the ironing, put a mop between two chairs.

You end up with a long rail and plenty of space to hang your ironed clothes.

Sonia Bosley, Twyford

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9

Cash!

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE A

B

C

D

1

2

MUM’S MISSION

I’ll br boy h

Whatever it takes, I’ll get him back where he belongs

3

U

Helen Womack, 51, Preston

4 A

B

C

D

1

3

4

WIN0 £3

5xPuzzle 4

PHOTO: GETTY

set up his own company.

Me and his dad Tony, 51, were really proud.

Ryan was close to his sister Anna, 20, and like a second dad to his brother Ben, 9.

Often, Ryan’s work took him to Manchester – and instead of driving back, he’d stay over at his mate Ollie’s house in Salford.

One night, in October 2018, Ryan was there.

Earlier, I’d called him to catch up, but he didn’t answer, so I left a message.

‘Love you, see you at the weekend,’ I said.

Only, at 2am, as I lay in bed, Mum called.

‘The police are here. Ryan’s had an accident,’ she sobbed.

‘What?’ I gasped.

Next, there was a bang on my front door.

My heart lurched as I rushed downstairs and saw the fluorescent yellow jacket of a police officer through the peephole.

‘You need to get to your son immediately,’ he said.

Tony and I drove to Salford Royal Hospital as fast as we could. We were met by a consultant.

‘Ryan has massive head injuries,’ he said.

We learnt that he’d

‘The police are here.

Ryan’s had an accident’

2

The car skidded out of control

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.

Your answer: 10

p here, Mum!’ a little voice shouted.

I looked up, spotted my eldest son Ryan, then 8, halfway up the huge oak tree in my mum’s garden.

‘Get down, now!’ I said in a panic.

My little daredevil...

‘That boy was born to be outside,’ my mum Tina, 73, laughed.

It was true.

Ryan hated school. He was smart, just not academic. And he could never sit still.

So it was no surprise when, at 16, he told us he was leaving school to train as a tree surgeon.

A few years later, he

TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details

ing Before... My son had so much promise

nipped out to the chippy for his dinner earlier that night.

But it was raining and he skidded on a bend and lost control of the car.

He’d hit three parked cars and suffered devastating injuries.

We were taken to see him, but he was unconscious.

‘I love you, Ryan. Please try your hardest to come back to us,’ I wept.

He needed an op to remove part of his skull, to make room for his swollen brain.

In the early hours of the next morning, while Ryan was in surgery, the police came to speak to us.

They told us how, minutes

after the crash, a lady named Dawn – who lived on the street – climbed into the car to sit with my son.

She thought Ryan was dying and didn’t want him to be on his own.

‘I’m so grateful, I owe her everything,’ I sobbed.

After surgery, Ryan remained unconscious, his head wrapped in bandages.

Next day, Anna and Ben visited him.

Ben held his hand, but Anna left the room in floods of tears.

The bandages were removed, revealing his swollen head and a long line of stitches.

All we could do now was to carry on hoping.

A few weeks later, as the Stitches after his operation

Part of Ryan’s skull had to be removed

swelling subsided, a dent appeared where Ryan’s skull had been removed.

Finally, in December 2018, Ryan’s eyes began to flicker open.

‘It’s me, darling,’ I choked.

He squeezed my hand.

He recognises me.

There’s hope.

A month later, Ryan was moved to a rehabilitation room at Royal Preston Hospital.

He still couldn’t move his legs or his left arm, but had some movement in his right.

But he couldn’t talk to us.

In April 2019, surgeons attempted to fit a metal plate into his skull to replace the missing bone.

But he caught an infection and the plate had to be removed.

Now, he’s stable, but he still can’t move much and he’s unable to speak.

We don’t know whether he will ever be able to again, but we live in hope.

It’s heartbreaking

thinking back to what a lively young man he once was, so full of promise and plans for the future.

But I’ll never give up on him. My mission now is to bring Ryan home.

And we need to raise £10,000 in order to cover costs, such as special medical equipment.

We’ve held bingo nights and Ryan’s friends have completed sponsored walks.

I’ve since spoken to Dawn on the phone – the stranger who helped him at the scene – and thanked her.

I’m so grateful that he wasn’t alone.

I’ll carry on believing that our boy is still in there, somewhere, and keep hoping that he heals.

Until then, I just want to bring him home.

Back where he belongs.

I believe he’s still in there... I hope that he heals

If you’d like to support Ryan’s journey home, go to Facebook and search ‘Ryan’s Return Journey’

11

WORDS: ANNA MATHESON, ANN CUSACK. PHOTOS: FOCUS FEATURES

I will never give up on Ryan

FASHION

How to wear...

STYLE TIP

Jumper, £26, sizes 8-22, M&Co

Avoid extra bulk by loosely tucking your jumper into the front of your skirt

Dress, £19.99, sizes xs-l, Zara

STYLE TIP

A biker jacket is a classic investment buy

Bag, £33, Head Over Heels Skirt, £39, sizes 8-24, Principles at Debenhams

Jacket, £35.99, sizes 6-18, New Look

COMPILED BY: ELOISA JOHNSON

Bag, £39, M&Co

Trainers, £25, Next Boots, £25, George at Asda

12

Jumper, £10, and skirt, £15, both sizes 4-20, Stacey Solomon for Primark

FAUX LEATHER Coat, £40, sizes 8-20, Matalan

Top, £28, sizes 8-24, V by Very

Get the luxe look for a lot less

STYLE TIP

Balance a shorter hemline with a long-sleeve top

Top, £25, sizes 6-24, M&S

Skirt, £15.99, sizes 6-18, New Look

Trousers, £39, sizes 8-22, Star

by Julien Macdonald at Debenhams

Bag, £28, Head Over Heels

STYLE TIP

Switch loafers for heels to take you from day to night Boots, £30, F&F Clothing

Shoes, £20, Dorothy Perkins

13

W

hat did actress Lupita Nyong’o want to be when she was younger? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the four-word prize answer.

PHOTO: GETTY

ACROSS 11 Long hallway (8) 12 Drunken revel (5) 13 Blackmail (6) 14 … in Boots, Shrek character (4) 15 Study in detail (7) 16 Busy traffic period (4, 4) 17 Decision of a jury (7) 18 Coin’s head side (7) 19 Departs this life (4) 21 Fashion, mode (5) 23 Concealed, veiled (7) 24 Cause to be alone (7) 28 Mont Blanc’s range (4) 29 Long period of time (3) 30 Protection (6) 33 Sign of illness (7) 35 Hair-setting substance (3) 36 Cab stand (4) 38 Jealousy (4) 39 Forty winks (3) 40 Set of DIY implements (4, 3) 42 Boat, ship (6) 43 Great wonder (3) 44 Leave the stage (4) 48 Put onto paper (7) 50 Doctor’s client (7) 51 Put on the scales (5) 54 Jamboree (4) 56 Put through school (7) 57 In outline only (7) 60 Flight velocity (8) 61 Score for the opponents (3, 4) 63 Really keen about (4) 64 … butter, popular spread (6) 65 Injury, lesion (5) 66 Strapped up (8) DOWN 1 Unit (6) 2 National leaders (10) 3 Go forward (7) 4 Birthday surprise (5) 5 Do as told (4) 6 Talk with a candidate (9) 7 Famous Italian car (7) 8 Reconsider (8) 9 Designed on metal (6) 10 Squabbles (9) 18 Portent (4) 20 Orange-pink colour (5) 22 Passing on (8) 25 As said (7) 26 Backfires (8) 27 Habitual practice (5) 31 Disciple (8) 32 Goading, provoking (8) 34 Cash reward (7)

£1,001 cash!

WIN1

£1,00 Puzzle 5 1

2

THE BIGGIE 3

4

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37 Cider’s fruit base (5) 41 Favourite place (5) 44 Type of violent storm (10) 45 Set up and ran (9) 46 Mail-order book (9) 47 Keep out of sight (4) 49 Just out of the top ten (8) 52 Cowboys’ dusk (7) 53 Horizon (7) 55 Away from school (6) 58 Extreme dislike (6) 59 Foyer, entrance hall (5) 62 Undraped statue (4)

61

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£500 winner Issue 39, 26 Sept 2019 ‘Fantastic, it came at a good time. My husband had a heart attack recently, so I would like to do something special for him. He’s my soul mate and rock.’

Denise Dunn, Astley, Greater Manchester

Your answer:

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

15

BREAK-UPS AND GUNSHOTS

Murder at th Was this dad really killed by the elegant heiress?

B

orn into a powerful and wealthy family from China, Tiffany Li was not short of cash.

But inside her mansion in affluent Hillsborough, California, catastrophe was brewing.

And there was nothing money could do to stop it.

In October 2015, Tiffany’s boyfriend Keith Green had discovered she was having an affair with his pal Kaveh Bayat.

Tiffany had complained to friends that Keith was more interested in money than their children.

The couple had gone through a bitter break-up, with their two daughters, 2 and 4, caught in the middle of the angst.

Keith had moved out, Tiffany moved Kaveh in.

Then, Tiffany falsely accused her ex-boyfriend of stealing her Range Rover.

But through the rows

The victim: Keith Green

16

r Trip to the dindeead Then Keith was

and accusations, the couple had to make custody arrangements for their girls.

So, at around 10.15pm on a Thursday night in April 2016, the warring former partners agreed to meet at the Millbrae Pancake House.

Friends saw Keith crossing the road to the restaurant from his apartment.

It would be the last time he was seen alive.

The following day, friends reported him missing, plastering the streets with posters.

A hiker in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park discovered Keith’s mobile phone later that day.

And two weeks after he went missing, Keith’s body was found 80 miles away on a dirt track.

Discovered wearing nothing but socks, he’d suffered a gunshot wound to the head.

He’d been murdered.

Ten days later, police arrested Tiffany Li, her boyfriend Kaveh Bayat, and her bodyguard, 40-year-old Olivier Adella.

All three suspects were charged with murder and conspiracy and held without bail.

But with her real-estatemogul parents reported to be worth more than $100m (£85m), Tiffany didn’t spend long behind bars.

Her folks posted the huge sum of $35m (around

e mansion?

YOUÕRE

THE JUDGE!

Tiffany Li: a bitter split

Tiffany Li had orchestrated the murder of her exboyfriend because she was worried about losing custody of her daughters.

‘Li’s clear frustration led to anger about Keith’s constant requests for money,’ the prosecution alleged in court.

She’d told investigators that she’d sat in her car with Keith for about an hour and they discussed the children before he walked away.

But phone records revealed in court showed the two had

gone back to the mansion.

Prosecutors said it was there that Kaveh Bayat had pulled the trigger, following orders from Tiffany.

In court, they claimed Keith’s blood was found in Tiffany’s Mercedes and gunshot residue was discovered in her garage.

But a defence expert, forensic scientist Keith Inman, testified there was no evidence Keith Green ever bled in the garage of the Hillsborough mansion where prosecutors say he was shot.

‘They have the

wrong people on trial. Who they should be pursuing is Olivier Adella, that’s been clear from day one,’ defence lawyer May Mar told the court.

The defence argued Keith was killed in a botched kidnap job, orchestrated

by Olivier Adella.

‘As soon as Keith went missing, fingers pointed at Tiffany. They had a custody issue but it’s clear that their relationship was not so contentious that she ever would have wanted him harmed or killed,’ May Mar told the court.

But prosecutor Steve Wagstaffe said, ‘There’s no smoking gun in this case. This is a case that involves lots of pieces of circumstantial evidence that in the prosecution’s mind, and our office’s mind, add up to guilt.’

There was no denying a frosty finale to Keith and Tiffany’s relationship.

But did her fear of losing the children lead her to killing her ex-boyfriend in cold blood?

Money no longer came into it. It was down to the jury’s judgement – was anyone guilty?

Guilty or not?

Turn to find out 17

WORDS: ANNA MATHESON. PHOTOS: ALAMY, SHUTTERSTOCK

£25m) to bail their daughter out of jail. The case attracted national media attention as it was thought to be one of the biggest-ever bail payouts in US history.

Tiffany returned home to her mansion, under house arrest.

Meanwhile, Kaveh Bayat remained in jail.

Tiffany and Keith’s children were taken into protective custody.

Soon after, bodyguard Olivier Adella cut a deal with prosecutors that saw them potentially dropping his murder charge in exchange for his testimony against Tiffany and Kaveh.

He admitted being an accessory to the crime, said that he’d helped to dispose of Keith’s body.

He claimed he went along with the plot because he was scared for his life and the safety of his family if he didn’t.

In an interview with a local reporter, Adella said, ‘What’s going through my mind, well, you’re a black man in America, my friend.

You’re screwed. You get rid of the body, you’re screwed.

Don’t get rid of the body, you’re screwed.’

Adella was set to be an explosive witness when Tiffany Li and Kaveh Bayat came to be tried.

Then, in a big twist to the case, Adella lost his plea bargain after it emerged he’d contacted a witness on social media.

It meant the prosecution lost its key witness and the case now rested on circumstantial evidence.

In September 2019, the trial finally began.

Prosecutors argued that

Tiffany Li wept at the verdict

THE MOMENT I KNE

WORR

s s y WHATÕS

THE VERDICT?

Daytime me...

NOT GUILTY n 15 November 2019, the jury announced it had reached its verdicts, after lengthy deliberation. Tiffany Li was found not guilty of Keith Green’s murder and conspiring to kill and dispose of his body in 2016. She wept in court as the verdict was read out.

In the case of Kaveh Bayat, the judge declared a mistrial, as jurors could not agree on a verdict, and in December it was decided he would not be retried. Murder charges against Olivier

PHOTO: TONY AVELAR/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK

O

18

Adella were dropped.

District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said he respected the jury’s decision to acquit Tiffany Li, adding they had put their ‘heart and soul’ into the case.

Li’s lawyer Geoffrey Carr said the verdict had no links to her wealth. ‘It had nothing to do with money, it had to do with hard work done by diligent lawyers,’ he added.

He said that Tiffany Li planned to spend her free time in China with her family.

S

wishing my frock, I struck a pose in the living room.

My mum Tracy giggled as I strutted about in her 80s dresses.

I was 12, loved to make Mum laugh.

Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at 25, she was often in pain, used a wheelchair.

We were told her condition was hereditary.

I worried that I’d face the same fate.

That’s why I cherished those carefree moments, dressing up and laughing.

After leaving school, they got Mum’s my biggest fan!

Drag is my dream and nothing will stop me Harry Watson, 22, West Molesey, Surrey

few and far between.

I found work as a barista in a coffee shop.

I enjoyed it, made plenty of friends.

But life was routine.

Work nine to five, dinner with mates, or TV with Mum. Then, one night in February 2017, a group of pals and I went to a drag show at a gay bar.

I was wowed by the go-go dancers wearing skimpy costumes and serving drinks.

But it was when the drag act started that I really couldn’t take my eyes off the stage.

With sky-high heels, sequins and feathers, they

EW

IES? I’lljust !

looked incredible.

The next week, I went back.

And the next, and the next after that…

Getting to know the staff and performers, I was reminded of old times, laughing with Mum. Then, one evening in April 2017, the manager of the bar approached me.

‘One of the dancers is ill,’ he said. ‘Could you fill in?’

Somehow, the next thing I knew I was slipping into some tiny hot pants.

Then I was on stage, dancing my heart out!

After that, I performed whenever I could.

Serving lattes by day, jiggling on stage by night.

I was loving life, apart from one thing...

I hadn’t told Mum about my passion for drag.

She wouldnÕt get it, I thought.

We got on well, but I was scared how she would react.

So, after an evening

performing, I’d never mention my exploits over breakfast the next day.

It was like having a double life.

In June 2017, some of the performers from the bar invited me to perform at Pride festival.

This time, in drag…

Once, I’d have run a mile at the thought of getting up in a dress and heels in front of a crowd.

Now, I spent hours watching YouTube, practising make-up tips.

And on the day of the festival, I had the time of my life, dancing for the cheering crowds.

It was the moment I knew I was born to be a drag queen.

And, back home, I came clean to Mum. ‘What do you want to be doing that for?’ she gasped.

I didn’t mention it again.

A month later, I had my

I found myself slipping into tiny hotpants

first proper billed drag show in a bar in south London.

Stepping on stage in my black PVC dress and purple wig, I scanned the crowd… and saw a familiar face.

Mum! Dancing and singing to Kylie’s Spinning Around, I gave it my all.

Afterwards, I rushed to hug Mum. ‘You look great,’ she beamed at me.

Soon after, I gave myself a stage name – Rosé Zinfandel, after the wine.

Sweet and fruity, and a little cheap!

Mum became my numberone fan, even saw me in the final of Miss Drag

UK in March 2018.

But at the end of that year, the joints in my hands started to feel stiff.

My feet were painful if I spent too long in heels.

Deep down, I knew what was happening.

‘It’s rheumatoid arthritis,’ the doctor confirmed in May last year.

Soon, I was struggling with shoelaces and zipping my coat.

And eventually, I had to quit my day job.

With extra free time, I started booking more shows.

On stage, I’d momentarily forget the pain.

It’s nearly impossible to feel down in rhinestones and feathers!

So, while I can dance in towering heels, I will.

Watching Mum’s illness progress, and getting my own diagnosis, has taught me a lesson.

You’ve got to do what you love in life.

Me at the Miss And I Drag UK awards love drag!

19

WORDS: KARA O’NEILL, LAURA WITHERS. PHOTOS: PA REAL LIFE

Cheers to Rosé Zinfandel!

Health The advice you need

Was I cursed?

It seemed I’d always be blighted by cold sores...

I

Tracy McAndrew, 44, Middleton

WORDS: EMMA ROSSITER

t all started when I was diagnosed with meningitis aged 6.

For two weeks, doctors kept me in isolation while they treated the infection.

I fought it off, went back to school, but then the cold sores appeared.

Almost overnight, my face blistered and cracked.

‘It hurts,’ I complained to my mum Jean, fighting the urge to scratch.

‘It’ll heal on its own,’ she soothed.

But as soon as one had vanished, another appeared. Around my mouth, on my chin, even inside my nose.

It was agony.

So we tried every remedy

Confident again, I met Keith

20

True-life

we could.

Mum cleaned out the chemist’s shelves, lathered me in creams.

When they didn’t work, I was dragged back to the GP. ‘The worst case I’ve ever seen,’ he said to Mum. Sometimes the sores were open and would ooze and bleed. I was back and forth to hospital until they healed again.

Eventually, when I was 7, doctors said there was nothing they could do.

They put it down to me being more susceptible to the herpes simplex virus.

They’d never be sure how I got it, didn’t know whether my bout of meningitis was to blame.

Basically, I’d just have to learn to live with it.

By the time I was in secondary school, I felt like I was cursed.

‘Scabby face!’ bullies would sneer.

Things never got easier. Not when I met

PATIENT CASEBOOK

My poor face as a child

my partner, got married or when I had my children Raegan and Travis.

I was even banned from kissing my own babies in case I passed it on to them.

By 2010, I was fed up.

That’s when I read about liquorice lip balm.

It had been tested by the Herpes Viruses Association, who found that it reduced the severity of symptoms in more than 80% of people.

I read up on a lady who swore by the stuff. She said

I was even banned from kissing my own babies

it had cured her coldsore curse.

I ordered some from the Skin Shop that same day.

And, gradually, it worked!

In the past, I used to have at least 10 to 15 cold sores a month. Now I have about 10 a year.

Things like temperature and stress used to set me off.

But even when my marriage ended in 2014, I didn’t get a single one.

What’s more, I got my confidence back.

I met Keith, 60, and we married in 2017.

I can’t promise the balm is a miracle cure, but it certainly worked for me.

More info?

Check out the Herpes Viruses Association at herpes.org.uk Worth a try?

Health Brits can spend £4k a news

WORDS: ELEANOR VOUSDEN. PHOTOS (POSED BY MODELS): GETTY. *SMART TMS SURVEY **GOLFSUPPORT.COM, THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF PERSONAL TRAINERS, OFFICE FOR NATIONAL STATISTICS AND DELOITTE AND EUROPEACTIVE ***WHEY FOR LIVING ****LUSTRE

year on a personal trainer

Almost 20 per cent of workers in the UK said that they don’t have time to see a medical professional about their mental health.*

Weighing up the cost

Thinking about getting the help of a personal trainer? It might cost more than you think.

The average PT in the UK costs £38.30 per session, almost £4,000 per year (based on two sessions per week). It’s

almost the same price as a month’s gym membership, at around £40. Londoners spend the most, forking out around £53.36 per session, costing a whopping £5,549.44 a year.

At those prices, nine

personal-training sessions could buy a return flight with British Airways to Bangkok.

However, those in Cambridge spent the least on a PT, at £30.20 per session, £3,140.80 over a year.**

Honey is sugar-free?

Eating healthily needn’t mean you have to miss out on your favourite dinners. At just 344 calories, WW Creamy Mac & Cheese (£2, Morrisons), is around 200 calories less than your average macaroni cheese.

WE PAY

CASH

M

ore than one in 10 of us believe this sweet treat is free from sugar.*** It turns out most of us are completely bamboozled by common foods and diet terms.

A study found that a third of us insist butter isn’t a fat, while almost half believe that fruits such as apples or pears are not carbs.

‘Glycemic index’, ‘paleo’ and ‘complex carbohydrates’ are also terms that confuse Brits.

‘This research shows there are still conflicting messages around what we should eat for optimum health,’ says nutritionist Jenna Hope.

What’s more, over one in 10

10%

Sweet stuff

That’s the amount of people who’ve taken a sick day due to bad skin, while 30 per cent have avoided a social occasion because of acne.****

adults surveyed couldn’t clarify what was meant by organic, 16 per cent found cholesterol baffling and 12 per cent couldn’t explain what fibre was – while 81 per cent felt there’s too much information given on what we should and shouldn’t eat.

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 email 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

Q

When I drink alcohol, I swear my eyesight becomes clearer! My husband says that this is nonsense – but is it possible?

Lindsay, Bishop’s Stortford

A

It’s certainly possible, and even quite common, shortly after you’ve taken a drink – though it’s a temporary effect. It probably happens because alcohol in your bloodstream enters your eye and alters the density of the fluid and jelly inside, helping the lens inside your eye to focus more effectively.

But alcohol isn’t the best answer – a few more drinks might lead to blurred or double vision, as your eye muscles become affected. Excess alcohol can permanently weaken your eyesight through damage to liver, nerves or blood vessels, vitamin deficiency or causing your eyes to dry out.

Check with your optician – they may be able to reproduce some of the benefits of alcohol with specs or contact lenses, along with checking the health of your eyes.

Itching back there!

My bum itches all the time, but my GP can’t see anything wrong. It’s embarrassing, what can I do?

Kayleigh, Swindon

Q A

An itchy bum’s no joke and scratching can make it worse. Itching at night can point to threadworms, especially if you have small children who can pass on the little blighters.

Piles are another possibility, or a skin infection due to thrush or bacteria from your bowel.

Warts and skin conditions (such as eczema or allergy to creams and lotions you’re using in that area) can also be to blame. But,

often, the culprit is minute traces of poo left after you’ve wiped, which irritate your skin. If your GP’s ruled out other causes, washing or using flushable wet

wipes after a poo should clear these traces and stop the itch.

Your GP might recommend a mild steroid or antifungal cream if there’s inflammation.

Getting rid of my lump There’s an egg-sized, soft lump on my back. My GP says it’s a harmless lipoma – but can I have it removed?

Antoinette, Bradford

Q A

Lipomas are the most common lumps and can measure from a few millimetres to 10cm or more.

They’re lumps of fat found most commonly on your chest, back or around your shoulders. They’re

harmless and usually don’t need any treatment, though a small op under local anaesthetic can get rid of most quite easily.

However, you might find this isn’t available on the NHS, as it’s considered a cosmetic procedure, and you’d have to pay.

Most lipomas don’t change their size, so one that keeps getting bigger should be checked to rule out liposarcoma, a rare form of cancer.

Dog snogs – are they safe?

Is it safe to kiss my little dog on the mouth? My boyfriend thinks it’s disgusting and won’t kiss me unless I’ve cleaned my teeth!

Marina, Bristol

PHOTOS (POSED BY MODELS): GETTY

Q A

A dog’s mouth is a breeding ground for bugs, including food-poisoning bacteria, such as salmonella and campylobacter, and gut parasites, such as giardia, so the risk is there. But, usually, the numbers of these bugs are too

22

low to transmit infection if you’re fit and well. Dog-kissing is best avoided if you’re unwell, pregnant, elderly – and for babies.

Reduce the risk by treating your pet regularly for worms, parasites, fleas and ticks, and cleaning his teeth. Don’t let your dog lick open wounds or sores on your skin, as this could lead to infections.

And your boyfriend’s right that cleaning your own teeth after a dog-snog should help reduce bugs in your own mouth.

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

Booze to boost eyes?

£375 cash!

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OVER TO YOU

1

2

3

ACROSS 1 Not west 2 French cheese 3 Ringer 4 For heaven’s…

DOWN 1 … and flows 2 Place/district 3 Soft material 4 Short for TV (alternative spelling)

4

2

an you set a puzzle in this format? Send it, with a photo of yourself, to the address left – there’s £20 for every one we use!

3

C

This week’s puzzle was compiled

by Ann Walker, Leeds

W5INx

£25 Puzzle 6

4

Your answer: T

BRICK TRICK

W

T

T

hich terrier breed was originally developed by Captain John Edwardes as a working dog in the county of Pembrokeshire? To find out, solve the puzzle… Enter the answers to the clues in the grid. Every word is an anagram of its neighbours, plus or minus a letter. Read the shaded squares in number order for the prize answer.

HALF & HALF

4

PHOTOS: ALAMY, GETTY

Your answer:

T L E

8

R A M

5

£10 A

2

3

WIN0 R

7

2

raditional earthenware vessels called qvevri are still used in the Republic of Georgia to make what drink? Cross out a letter in each square to get a grid filled with words. The uncrossed out letters in the shaded squares give Puzzle 7 the prize answer.

W A P E B O T L R I H E N I G A O R O H L R B E E O U E S C R I

5

1

3

8

6

9

E W N G Y

W

WIN

hat type of creature is the Queen Alexandra’s Puzzle 9 Birdwing?

To find out, solve the puzzle… Add a letter anywhere in each of the boxed-off words to fit the clue, eg, Be in flower = LOOM + B = BLOOM. Write the added letter in the space provided. Read down the added letters to spell out the prize answer.

£50

Be in flower Freshwater fish

LOOM

Yonder Sharpened post Woodland clearing

HERE

GLAD

Cultivated

GOWN

Hard stone

LINT

TROT

SAKE

1

6 7

SKINNY ONE

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1 Figures of speech (7) 2 False vision (6) 3 Xbox user, eg (5) 4 Female horse (4) 5 Aries symbol (3) 6 Upper limbs (4) Your answer:

Macho

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7 Boggy area (5) 8 Yoga retreat (6) 9 US law officer (7)

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

23

DETERMINED

I’m grateful for every day

How could I get married if I couldn’t even speak?

in our holiday cottage.

‘Rebecca, will you marry me?’ he asked.

On the inside, I was Rebecca Patterson, 38, Nottingham elated. But this didn’t translate outwards. eclining in the needs students in a Squirming from the chair, my eyes secondary school, I was pain, I tried to smile. flicked from one under a lot of pressure.

‘Yes,’ I cried, wishing side of the room Only, the white blemish our special moment to the other as on my tongue was bigger wasn’t blighted by this the dentist poked than ever, too. eruption in my mouth. around in my mouth.

By February 2018, my Eating and speaking was ‘I’m going to refer you for health was deteriorating. becoming more difficult. a biopsy,’ he said.

After arriving back home Deep down, I knew It was 2015, and I’d had from a holiday in Italy, I felt something was seriously the same white patch on my really sick and I couldn’t wrong now. tongue for five years. stop retching.

I just didn’t want to admit I was pretty unfazed by it, As I lay on the sofa in it to myself, or to Craig. to be honest. pain, I could see bright But I think he knew, too.

It didn’t hurt lights and images ‘You need to go to the and you could above me. doctor,’ Craig told me, seeing barely see it.

I was how much agony I was in.

And when the hallucinating.

On our return, I made biopsy returned Then the next an appointment and a diagnosis of oral morning, I noticed underwent another biopsy. thrush, I still two new lumps on And in April 2018, I was wasn’t worried. my tongue. summoned to King’s Mill I was prescribed They were Hospital to get the results. medication and the mark frequently bleeding and Clenching Craig’s soon disappeared. becoming more painful hand, I stared at the Sorted. every day. consultant’s mouth as we Only, the ghostly patch, Oral thrush back with a waited to be told. around two millimetres, vengeance, I thought.

Breaking her silence, she returned a month later.

I’d no idea that it could be whispered the word no one And this time, I decided to anything more sinister. ever wants to hear. leave it, hoping it would sort I reluctantly restarted ‘Cancer.’ itself out. another course of medication.

I closed my But by November 2017, But this time, the patch eyes and shook I was feeling exhausted, and the pain didn’t go away. my head.

‘You’re looking thinner, As I packed for an Easter I’m going to too,’ my boyfriend Craig, trip to Orkney with Craig, die, was my then 29, remarked.

I hoped I could ignore the first thought.

I’d lost 1st 7lb, put it down throbbing sore in my mouth.

‘But to stress.

Even more so when Craig we’ve only Working with specialwent down on one knee just got

R

Then I noticed two new lumps on my tongue

WORDS: FIONA KINLOCH, KATIE PEARSON. PHOTOS: SWNS

y mis o sa I

24

My scars tell a story

engaged, my life has just started,’ I sobbed into Craig’s arms.

But there wasn’t any time for self-pity.

Conversation quickly turned to the surgery I would need to have at this late stage.

The consultant explained about a pioneering operation which would remove my disease-ridden tongue and construct a new one from the skin on my arm.

Weeks later, dressed in

Craig and I are enjoying married life

sion DO A new tongue was cut from my arm

a hospital gown, I was lying there, staring up at the ceiling of the operating theatre at the Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham.

I felt terrified and prayed that this would be the end of my trauma.

After an injection of anaesthetic, the 11-hour operation seemed like nothing more than a snooze.

To the doctors, though, it was hours of concentration.

Removing the skin and an artery from my arm, they built me a new tongue.

As my eyes fluttered open, I turned my head to see Craig gazing down at me.

I smiled and opened my

mouth to speak to him.

But I couldn’t utter a word.

In a panic, I let out a strange whimper.

‘It’s OK,’ Craig soothed, stroking my forehead.

Had I lost my voice forever? I thought.

Over the next two weeks, I had to use a whiteboard and pen to communicate.

Depending completely on the nurses to wash and dress me, I felt helpless.

I could only eat pureed food through a tube.

I worried that I’d end up having to write ‘I do’ on my whiteboard on our

wedding day!

However, my voice slowly came back to me.

Learning to eat, swallow and speak again at 37 was tough.

I felt like a baby.

But with the support of Craig, my family, the incredible medical staff and my counselling sessions, I managed to get my life back on track.

Returning to work six months later, I once again regained my independence.

And then, in July last year, I was finally well enough to tie the knot.

Standing with Craig at the altar, feeling every inch the princess, it felt

incredible to say ‘I do’.

It’s a momentous occasion for anyone to say those two little words.

But for me, even more so.

I was triumphing over the disease that had threatened the rest of our lives together.

Now, I’m left with the scars on my arm that offer a glimpse of my story.

Every day, I’m grateful – and I’m enjoying life as a newly-wed, just as I should.

WHERE TO FIND HELP If you’re affected by cancer and need emotional support, you can call the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 0000, seven days a week.

25

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CRIME Fagan: uninvited guest

Perilous post for the PM

PALACE BREAK-IN

O

BOMB AT DOWNING STREET

A

1982

YEAR IN CRIMES

COLD-CASE MURDER

T

he body of Yiannoulla Yianni, 17, was found by her parents at their home in Hampstead, London, on 13 August 1982. She’d been last seen at her door, laughing with a man.

For 34 years, her murder went unsolved, but in 2016, James Warnock, then 56, was arrested after his DNA was found to match samples taken from the body. He got life, to serve at least 25 years.

Yiannoulla: strangled

by Warnock

IT WAS THE YEAR THAT...

Now, that’s nippy!

The coldest temperature ever recorded in the UK was on 10 January… Braemar, Aberdeenshire, hit minus 27.2C!

She wanted a little peace…

letter bomb went off inside the Prime Minister's Downing Street residence on 30 November 1982.

While Margaret Thatcher was in her study at Number 10, a padded envelope was delivered. Her office manager, responsible for handling such packages, was holding it when it flared up, slightly injuring his hands and face.

Letters from a group called the Animal Rights Militia were inside the package, but other groups promoting animal welfare said they had never heard of the organisation.

ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION

A

s Shlomo Argov, the Israeli ambassador to Britain, left the Dorchester Hotel in Mayfair, London, on 3 June 1982, a gunman from the Abu Nidal Palestinian militant group shot him in the head.

Argov underwent surgery and was in a coma for three months. He was left almost totally paralysed but Harrogate was host to the Eurovision Song Contest on 24 April.

Eighteen countries took part and Germany’s Nicole won with her song, Ein Bisschen Frieden.

Shlomo Argov: shot in Mayfair

survived until 2003. Four days after the attack, the Lebanon war – between the Israel Defence Forces and the Palestine Liberation Organisation – began.

Proud new parents

On 21 June, the first child of Charles and Diana, Prince and Princess of Wales, was born. Baby William will one day be King...

27

WORDS: FIONA KINLOCH. PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK, GETTY, PA IMAGES

n the night of 9 July 1982, the Queen awoke in Buckingham Palace to find Michael Fagan, 31, on the end of her bed.

After Her Majesty raised the alarm, a footman was able to detain the ‘visitor’ until the police arrived.

Fagan was not charged with trespass as it was then a civil offence, rather than a criminal one. However, he was charged with stealing a bottle of wine, though was later acquitted.

He claimed to have done the Royals a favour by highlighting the Palace’s security flaws.

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Your answer: 28

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R P S E E N K T N

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I won £1,500 a treated myself A family holida Susan Douglas, 61, Leeds

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August had been a wet month and the rain thrashed the windows.

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A

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I played in a couple of different bingo rooms before buying tickets for Sapphire.

The next game was about to start.

The tickets were 25p each instead of the usual 10p, as it was the 8pm special linked game.

That meant the Full House was much bigger.

I could see my bingo cards all lined up on my screen.

As the game started, the auto dabber began to dab my numbers. Two, then only one number left. Then out popped my last number! The screen blinked and bold letters flashed across it,

With money left over, I booked a cruise – can’t wait!

Gibraltar here I come!

CHOOSE YOUR WELCOME OFFER!

congratulating me. I’d won the Full House – £1,500!

Squealing with joy, I woke up Pauline to share the news.

‘Hey! Guess how much I won,’ I said, nudging her. ‘£15?’ she asked sleepily.

‘Try £1,500!’ I laughed.

I couldn’t wait to share my news with family and friends.

When I told them, they wanted to know what I was going to do with my win.

‘Why don’t you visit your sister?’ Pauline said.

See, my sister Karen, 58, lives in sunny Spain, so I

called her then booked a week off work to visit her in September.

It turned out to be a lovely holiday, as more of the family joined us.

After the holiday, I felt refreshed, and with money left over, I booked a cruise with my brother Dougie, 63, and his wife Annette, 61, to Gibraltar and Portugal.

It’s been a great way to spend my Chat Mag Bingo win!

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We’re sta for barker IN THE BUFF, NOT RUFF!

LITTLE ONE A

flight from Kolkata airport was delayed for two hours after what attacked the windshield?

Solve the crossword, then read down the yellow squares. The yellow shaded squares will spell out the prize answer.

1

2

3

4

5

6 7 8

ACROSS 1 Science workshop (3) 3 Conger ..., fish (3) 5 Nimble, sprightly (5) 7 Baby goat (3) 8 Clap eyes on (3) DOWN 1 Journey stage (3) 2 Resembling each other (5) 3 French word for water (3) 4 Ruby colour (3)

WIN

£50 Puzzle 13

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

There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my lovely doggies!

S

Melanie Hyde, 57, Four Elms, Kent

lowly untying the belt of my dressing gown, I felt a surge of adrenaline.

Then the cool air hit my bare stomach.

I hadn’t just stepped out of the shower...

In fact, I was standing in my back garden – a camera lens pointed straight at me.

‘Right then, September,’ the photographer said. ‘It’s your turn.’

With a shrug of my shoulders, my robe fell to the ground.

I was completely naked – save for a pair of wellies

and a large outback hat!

Perching on my garden wall, I folded my arms and legs across my body, in a bid to hide my privates.

What have I let myself in for? I thought.

But, looking down at my sweet, adopted dogs Elsie and Kimmy by my side, I was reminded that it was all worthwhile.

Then, looking up at the camera again, I let out a nervous chuckle.

‘Here goes, girls!’ I said.

For, along with a group of brave women baring all, I was being snapped for

We had a gulp of prosecco for Dutch courage!

December: Karen with Bert and Ted

a charity calendar to help raise money for Dunrunnin – a kennels specialising in rehoming retired racing greyhounds.

Elsie had come from there in November 2016.

Before her, I’d had rough collies, whippets and English bull terriers over the years.

I was totally besotted

by Elsie and wanted to give her a forever home.

And she settled in with me perfectly. So much so that, before long, I found her a playmate.

‘Elsie, meet Kimmy,’ I cooed, leading retired greyhound Kimmy into our

r r

September: Me with Kimmy and Elsie.

I kept my hat on!

April: Lauren with Chopper

July: Jessica with Tiger and Baby

home in July 2018.

They were the happiest of pups.

But, each time I’d been to Dunrunnin, I couldn’t help but notice small puddles on the kennel floor, where a leak in the roof was letting in water when it rained.

Nor was I blind to all 20

dogs wearing coats, as a makeshift solution to the kennels not having enough money to fund heating.

It was so sad to see.

After all, without Dunrunnin, Elsie and Kimmy would never have come into my life.

Then, in November 2018, I was out walking with the kennel’s other adoptive dog

Who bares wins? We’re doing it for the pups!

mothers.

The kennels really did need some work doing, all of us agreed.

‘Maybe we should do a naked calendar to raise money!’ I joked to them.

But the other dog mums looked at me with wicked smiles on their faces.

This was no joke!

They all jumped at the opportunity.

In no time at all, we had filled the 12 slots for each month of the year.

And in April 2019, the first naked calendar photo shoot took place.

With red faces and a gulp of prosecco to give us a little Dutch courage, each of us ladies whipped off our clothes

and posed for the camera.

Each shot co-starred a pooch who’d been rehomed

by Dunrunnin, alongside some who are still looking for their forever home.

Orders for the calendars flew in from as far afield as Austria and the US. We’ve now sold more than 350 copies and raised over £3,500 for a heating system at Dunrunnin, to keep the dogs warm this winter.

Next time, we hope the adoptive dads will give it a go!

To order a calendar or make a donation, email Melanie Hyde at lanie.hyde@gmail.com or info@dunrunnin.org

33

WORDS: FIONA KINLOCH. PHOTOS: NICOLATODDPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

February: Becca with Jed

£200 cash!

FILL ME IN

Say in fun

Stag or doe

Bar seat

Carrier

Preference

Small mammal

Afresh

Circular band

Apple pip, eg

Dismount

Stableman

Dad’s wife

Cancelled

Burnt remains

Lout

Heaved, tossed

Be in debt

Expelled, banished (4,3)

N I W £100 Puzzle 14

H

aving a hole or empty space inside something?

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.

Soothing - - - Christie, Drink like author lotion a cat

Hobbled

Clingy fabric

Church recess

North Sea fuel

W

Office of a team’s skipper

- - - for, pick

Craved

Exploited

CIRCLE TIME

PHOTO: GETTY

Your answer: 34

Scottish tribal group

Pretends

Deep cart track

Newborn child

3 letters APP ASS MIL PHI SIT TEE 4 letters CARE COIN

Horrible

Large garden plant-holder

Your answer:

hich Dutch city has the world’s largest multi-storey parking area for bicycles, with space for 12,500 bicycles?

Fit the words into the grid, then read down the letters in the shaded circles.

- - - Mendes, actor

Saudi hajj city

Restricted

COLD CUSS DATE LIAR RASH SHOO WISH 5 letters AMUSE EJECT

IGLOO OCHRE OVERT SLEEP TENET TONAL TRAWL 6 letters STRAFE

7 letters ASSUAGE 10 letters OVERSTRAIN

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

Bolted out of the blue

3 tips to…

Build trust in a relationship

Q

After 20 years together, I came home from work to find my husband had packed up and left me.

His number is no longer in service, my mother-in-law told me not to try to contact him, and when I went to his workplace, I was removed from the premises.

I don’t know what I’ve done or what’s happened.

What can I do?

Joanne, 47

1 A

I can’t imagine your heartbreak. Your ex may be embarrassed to face you, and your mother-in-law may not have a rational explanation for his behaviour, either.

It’s awful feeling such loss and shock, especially when there was

In love with my trainer I’ve been married to my wife, who is 27, for three years, but I haven’t been interested in sex for a while.

I’m a gym fanatic and have got close to my personal trainer.

After going out for a drink after a gym session, he sent me a text saying he’d always fancied me.

We ended up having sex back at his house the following

Q

no arguing in the build-up.

Surround yourself with friends and family, keep your chin up and your dignity intact, but don’t feel ashamed of being upset. If things become too difficult to manage, consider seeing your GP.

Keep the promises you make, showing them what you expect in return.

Trusting someone means you think they’re reliable, have confidence in them, and feel physically and emotionally safe with them.

2

night and both enjoyed it.

I want to leave my wife, but how do I tell her how I feel?

Josh, 29

Talking openly is a great way to build trust. Take the lead with conversation, especially if there’s something important on your mind. Poor communication is a major reason why relationships break down, so be clear about what you have or haven't committed to.

A

3

There’s no shame in coming out or in saying you’re in love with someone else.

Be honest – with yourself and your wife – and be prepared for a difficult conversation.

She’ll feel hurt and have lots of questions. But the quicker you do it, the better all round. It’s not nice living a lie, and it’s not nic being lied to, either.

It takes time to build and earn trust, and it’s a daily commitment.

Don’t make the mistake of expecting too much too soon.

You have to first take small steps, and as trust grows, you’ll be more at ease with making and accepting bigger itments.

He’s in the driver’s seat

Q

My husband won’t let me drive our car when he’s in it because he believes he’s a better driver. This started off as a joke, but it’s no longer funny!

I don’t want our son growing up thinking Daddy is in charge.

I’m not sure if my husband gets anxious about being driven around by a woman, but I’ve been driving longer than him.

I know it sounds daft, but it’s making me really unhappy.

Karen, 27

A

The way things are in the world right now, with so many bigger problems, there are worse issues to have.

Maybe look at it another way?

At least it’s nice to have someone to drive you around!

Perhaps it is a silly joke to your husband, or maybe he’s stupidly old-fashioned. If it bothers you that much, tell him that unless he lets you drive when you want or need to, you won’t be getting in the car with him.

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

35

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

Our Antonella

BLIND TO THE HORROR

Hiding plain s I’d been so glad that my boys finally had a father figure

T

Victoria, 39

My lad sobbed as he told me...

36

yping in my name, age, and a few other details, I clicked Sign up.

It was February 2009 and I’d just created an online dating profile – only, it wasn’t what it seemed.

A happily single mother to my two boys Ryan, 9, and Alex, 4, I wasn’t looking for love.

One of my single pals had asked me to have a look at her dating profile.

Make sure she gave a good impression.

So, after a quick once-over, I planned to log out and forget all about it.

Only, next morning, I had a message waiting for me.

Hello, how are you?

The man’s name was Michael.

He was attractive, had a good job, seemed nice enough.

So, curiosity getting the better of me, I replied.

After a few messages over the next few days, I liked Michael more and more.

He seemed kind, wasn’t put off that I was a mum.

Ticked every box.

‘You’ve got nothing to lose,

my friend said when I told her about Michael a few weeks later.

‘You’re right,’ I agreed.

So after a month of messaging, I arranged to meet Michael in a busy cafe.

We started seeing each other almost every day.

Meeting him after the school run, we’d spend hours chatting, walking our dogs.

Soon, Michael even introduced me to his mum.

‘I’d love to meet your sons,’ he said afterwards.

But I was cautious, didn’t want to rush things.

The only man the boys had ever seen me with was their dad.

Waiting three months, in June 2009, I finally took Ryan and Alex to a local beach, where Michael was waiting.

I needn’t have worried.

Running into the water, splashing in the waves with the dogs, the three of them got on famously.

And a week later, Michael proposed.

Believe me, I knew it was quick.

But he cared about me,

loved the boys, and he seemed so stable.

‘Yes!’ I beamed, as he slid a ring on my finger.

Though Ryan was a little more reserved, Alex and Michael had an instant bond.

In March 2010, Michael moved into our home.

He became a father figure to my sons, even receiving Father’s Day cards.

And soon enough, the boys were calling him Dad. After we tied the knot in July 2010, it felt like we were a proper family.

Three months later, Michael suggested I go out to work.

He’d known I’d been

Paddling and play-fights...

itching to start a career.

Bringing up the boys, there had never been the time.

‘I can stay home with the kids,’ he said.

‘Would you do that for me?’ I asked, overjoyed.

I found work as a delivery person, starting early and arriving home around 2pm.

I’d always find Michael and Alex together.

Play-fighting, tickling each other, water fights or watching TV...

Inseparable.

One day, I walked in and got a shock.

‘Why haven’t you got any clothes on?’ I gasped, finding them both naked.

‘It’s what guys do! We have to let it hang out,’ Michael laughed.

Alex giggled, too.

But I walked away feeling odd. And that uneasy feeling didn’t leave.

One warm day soon after, I was pottering around the house as Michael and Alex played in the paddling pool in the garden.

Watching them from afar, the first thing I noticed was the long, eerie silence.

No noise as the water splashed, no voices or giggles.

Later that night, as I got

The perfect husband and daddy?

into bed beside Michael, my mind was buzzing.

‘What happened in the pool today?’ I asked him.

He didn’t say a word, just stared at me with a peculiar look on his face.

My confusion shifted to fear, a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Jumping out of bed, I bolted to Alex’s room and shook him awake.

‘You need to tell me what happened in the pool today,’ I cried, frantic.

‘Mummy, I can’t. Something bad will happen to you if I do,’ he said.

‘You can tell me anything.

Nothing bad will happen to you, or me, I promise,’ I said.

Burying his head in the pillow, Alex started to speak through his sobs.

The words no mother wants to hear.

‘Dad was playing with my doodle,’ he mumbled.

A wave of sickness hit me.

Telling me it wasn’t the first time, Alex looked sadder than I’d ever seen him.

He was just five and had been abused by a man he called his dad.

A man I’d brought into his life, his home.

Holding back tears and a

Confusion shifted to fear, a sick feeling in my stomach

If you’re worried about a child, even if you’re unsure, contact NSPCC 24/7 for help, advice and support on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk

37

ALL NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED. WORDS: MISHAAL KHAN, APRIL GLOVER. PHOTOS (POSED BY MODELS): GETTY

g in sight

surge of rage, I hugged my boy tight.

How could this have happened?

Running to the bedroom, I found Michael packing his bag.

‘Leave, now!’ I yelled.

Without a word, Michael took his bag, walked out the door.

Then I called the police.

Soon, Michael was arrested.

Speaking to Alex, I told him what Michael had done was wrong, that he would be punished.

But the damage was done.

I spoke to Ryan. He was interviewed by the police, too. Thankfully, he hadn’t been abused.

In May 2014, Michael appeared in court charged with multiple child sex offences, including sexual penetration of a child.

In court, I couldn’t look at Michael as the details of the heinous abuse were read out.

Michael had abused Alex on camping trips, while swimming, during play fights, even in our garden shed.

Alex had thought it was his dad’s way of showing love.

How could a socalled father do that to a child he cared about?

The judge jailed him for five years, placed him on the sex offenders register for life.

Though I knew Michael was the guilty one, I felt like I should be in the dock.

How did I not see this man for the paedophile he was?

I let a monster into our home. And I’ll never forgive myself.

Now, we’re slowly healing from this horror. But it’s a nightmare from which we’ll never truly wake up.

£600 cash!

N I W W £500

CODE CRACKER

hich European city is a particular favourite of Holly Willoughby?

To find out, solve the puzzle...

Fill in the grid. Each letter of the Puzzle 16 alphabet has been replaced by a 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.

C D F G H I J K M N O P Q R S U V W X Y Z 11

21

24

16 23

16

11 6

11

6

9

9 23

4

24 15

12

26

23

5

3

T

he Red Arrows’ team of mechanics shares its name with what form of entertainment?

Unscramble each group of letters to discover six forms of entertainment. Now fit them across the grid and you’ll spell out the answer to the question.

1 CORN ETC 2 ICE MAN 3 A ROPE 4 I’M LUCAS 5 BIB CLUNG 6 STRAD

IN W £100

C 1 C 2 O 3 4 M C 5 6 D

PHOTO: GETTY

Puzzle 17

Your answer: 38

19

26

16

16

10

20

21

24

12

23

B

14

21

9

1

15 4

23 21

24 21

6

13

23

21

7 15

24

12

24

22

9

9

3

14

24

12

21

5

6

15

16

17

18

19

L

23 6

10 14

8

22

12 23

24

1

A

15

26

4

8

9

16

T

3

2

19

26

9

2

23

17

21

9

20

18

14

7

8

6

17

23

3 1

8

26

6

13

23

2

17

10

6

1

23

13

23

11

23

6

13

17

26

23

21

26 26

6 24

18

24

9

5

1

17

24

26

23 3

26

21

14

WORD JUMBLE

24

23

16

10

20

3

10

26

23

12

Your answer:

8

21

23 21

20

B

6

24

9

17

L

20

14

16

18

10

23 26

E

8

25 6

23

24

12

26

21

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

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

E A

T

SORRY, NO PICS!

Dodge t snap e I’d do anything not to be in those wedding photos...

Lucy Mitchell, 34, Maidstone

A

s confetti rained down on the happy couple, I beamed at my best friend Connie, then 26.

It was August 2017 and she’d just married the man of her dreams.

A perfect day.

I’d known Connie since we’d been student nurses.

And though there was no way I’d have missed hers, I usually avoided weddings.

See, chummy nuptials meant photographs.

Hundreds of them.

And I didn’t want to be in any.

Receiving the invite for Connie’s wedding threw me into a panic.

At 22st and a size 24, I knew I’d feel ridiculous squeezing myself into a posh frock.

For years, I’d refused most invitations to socialise.

That way, I never had to deal with my weight issue.

So much in denial, I’d even chucked out all my mirrors.

I didn’t want to face the truth – I was morbidly obese.

But I couldn’t let Connie down on her big day.

Working long hours as a nurse, I racked my brains

I tried to be invisible...

for ways to lose weight.

And in January 2017, I joined Slimming World.

Only, while I loved their low-calorie meals, I’d have extra-large portions and treat myself to biscuits after.

Soon it was time to fly to Ireland for the wedding.

And I’d only lost 1st.

Tucking my belly into my size-24 pink floral dress, I felt hideous.

Cringed when I saw myself in a window.

I’ll just avoid the wedding photographer, I told myself.

Easier said than done.

‘Say cheese!’ he grinned, snapping the wedding party.

I tried hiding in the toilet, but I couldn’t stay in there all day.

When I finally ventured out, he was still snapping.

Connie caught my eye.

‘Just one,’ she insisted,

WORDS: DAWN COLLINSON, FRANCES LEATE

I hid in the toilet, but I couldn’t stay there all day

…but there was no escape

waving me over for a photo.

I smiled and agreed, not wanting to let her down.

Pulling at my dress awkwardly, I nervously played with my hair.

So full of self-loathing.

Afterwards, I headed back to the hotel before travelling to the airport.

As I waited in Departures, my phone pinged with messages from Connie.

They were screen shots of the wedding photos.

Connie looked stunning.

But then there was me.

I looked hideous, twice the size I thought I was.

My heart sank.

I’m so sorry, I’ve ruined your wedding, I typed back.

What? she replied.

I told her I’d wrecked her

pictures by being so fat.

Of course, she tried to reassure me.

But nothing she said could make me feel better.

Back home, I sobbed to my mum Christine, then 60.

‘I don’t want to feel like this any more,’ I cried.

I was so sick of feeling embarrassed by my weight.

The fact was, it was robbing me of my happiness.

‘I think it’s time you did something about this,’ Mum urged.

And she was right.

It was now or never.

You should SEE ME NOW 39

SELFIE TIME!

Size 12 and snap happy!

Continued from previous page

Not so camer shy!

T he next morning, with my stomach somersaulting, I walked into the local gym.

‘I’d like to join,’ I told the receptionist, who gave me some forms to fill in and showed me around.

The gym had a womenonly area with frosted glass walls.

Perfect for hiding away, I thought.

Looking at the slender gym bunnies pounding the treadmills, I wondered if I could ever be like them.

So, I started spending half an hour running on the treadmill three or four nights a week.

Back at Slimming World, I planned my meals for the week and batch-cooked food

Proud to look in the mirror

40

at weekends.

That way, I wouldn’t be tempted to eat rubbish after work.

Posting photos of my healthy curries and chilli con carne on Instagram, I was spurred on by the encouragement from friends and family.

Looking good! a comment said.

As the weight dropped off, my nurse’s uniform became looser.

At my first weekly weigh-in, I’d lost 1st!

‘It’s working,’ I beamed to Mum.

By December 2017, I stood on the scales and discovered I weighed 18st 7lb.

That week, I walked proudly into a clothes store and picked up a dress in a size 18.

Twirling round in front of the mirror, I finally felt good about myself.

By February 2018, I weighed 15st and bought a pair of size 16 jeans.

Slipping them on before going out to meet friends, I felt so emotional.

Before, I’d spend hours trying to find something I could wear to hide my bulging body.

Maybe a baggy dress or

a pair of leggings.

But now, I could just pull on a pair of slim-fit jeans and leave the house with my head held high.

A month later, I bought myself a full-length mirror to put in my bedroom.

For the first time in my life, I proudly snapped selfies.

You look amazing!

Connie messaged me after I sent her some photos.

Of course, there were days I fell off the wagon and dived into the biscuit tin.

Or I’d occasionally indulge in a slice of cake with my cuppa on a lunch break.

But I learned that willpower is like a muscle

– the more I used it, the stronger it got.

So, the next day, I’d just start again.

Now, I’m 13st 3lb and a dress size 12.

I’m hoping to get down to 12st in the next six months.

But I’m in no rush.

Looking back at Connie’s wedding photos, I can’t believe how much I’ve changed.

Thinking I’d ruined my best friend’s big day was heartbreaking.

I’ve been invited to several weddings this year – and, this time, I can’t wait to choose a dress.

And I’ll be showing off in front of the camera, not hiding away.

Now I could leave the house with my head held high

CASH MONEY MATTERS

SMART

Flog to earn some extra cash Pre-loved marketplace Depop is a popular app used by people buying and selling clothes, so check it out. A lot of vintage, 90s and 00s fashion is sold on there!

For selling locally, Facebook Marketplace

and local selling groups are great options. You won’t have access to the same number of potential buyers as on the likes of Depop or eBay, so you may get lower prices.

But there are no fees and buyers collect.

Wehelpyoumakesavvychoices,so yourhard-earnedgoes that bit further

3

ways to… ditch plastic, saving money – and the environment, too!

Be prepared when you hit the shops

1

Being organised is key.

Keep a reusable shopping bag in your handbag, so you don’t have to pay for a plastic one. The fabric ones that fold up into pouches are really handy.

Take a reusable bottle filled with water with you when you go out, and if you run out, check out the Refill app (refill.org.uk), which lists places you can fill up your bottle for free.

Plus, you can save on coffee, too, by taking your own cup. For example, Pret a Manger offers 50p off if you bring your own.

changes make a difference 2Simple

If you often reach for cling film or sandwich bags for your lunches, try using beeswax wraps instead. The initial cost is more – I’ve

found packs of three on Amazon for about £9 – but they’re reusable and can last a year or more if looked after.

And why not swap bottles of shower gel for soap?

It’s generally cheaper and typically lasts longer, too (although there will always be exceptions). Just don’t pick one wrapped in plastic!

3

COMPILED BY: REBECCA GAMBLE. PHOTOS (POSED BY MODELS): GETTY

Make your own Ð tasty and thrifty!

Have you heard?

A scheme to fund free-to-use ATMs in parts of the UK with poor access to cash has seen more than 100 applications in its first month.

Consumers and community groups can make a request to operator Link for free-to-use cash machines in their area. Factors such as a lack of nearby free ATMs and a safe location being found are considered.

See link.co.uk/consumers for more information.

Making your own ‘fakeaways’ instead of buying takeaways cuts down on waste and will save you cash, too. It does take more effort, but pick recipes you can cook in bulk and freeze for later.

For inspiration, check out realfood.tesco.com.

Don’t stop there. From cleaning to beauty, there are loads of other items you can make yourself at home.

Did you know?

More than half of Brits in relationships have a savings fund strictly for themselves, according to investment firm AJ Bell. It found 18% of women keep their savings secret, compared with 14% of men.

HEALTH offer Bringing 20/20 vision to 2020, FeelGood Contacts is offering 10% off all of its product lines (from branded contact lenses to designer sunglasses, rejuvenating eye masks and soothing eye drops) on your first order. All you have to do is visit feelgoodcontacts.com and enter the code CH10 at checkout.

Offer valid until 6 February 2020.

SAVING

OF THE WEEK

TOP TIP

Years ago, it was fa to find ways to fix evr more difficult we have in our homeryday items es you can find online . But now and videos to repairtutorials anything, and it’s alalmost l free.

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NO-FUSS FOOD Top tip Chilling the biscuits twice will ensure they hold their shape in the oven.

Roll up your sleeves and get ready to bake some old and new family favourites

Brilliant

biscuits

Gluten-free chocolate biscuits These biscuits have no added sugar, either!

MAKES 15 PREP 10 MINS, PLUS CHILLING COOK 12 MINS 1 egg ● 50g ground almonds ● 100g gluten-free flour ● 2tbsp double cream ● 75g unsalted butter ●

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1tsp vanilla extract 75g dark chocolate, melted and cooled ● 50g chopped roasted hazelnuts ● 45g desiccated coconut ● ●

1

Using an electric mixer, beat together the egg and ground almonds. Add the remaining ingredients except for the

coconut and continue to beat until combined.

Chill for 20 mins.

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Roll the chilled biscuit mixture into 15 balls. Roll each ball in the desiccated coconut and chill again until firm, around 10 mins.

Bake for 10-12 mins, until the biscuits are cooked and the coconut is golden.

2 3

Ginger biscuits Rich and warming, these ginger biscuits are completely irresistible.

MAKES 20 PREP 10 MINS, PLUS CHILLING COOK 15 MINS 125g butter, softened ● 200g caster sugar ● 50g stem ginger, finely grated ● 75g treacle ● 240g flour ● 1tsp bicarbonate of soda ● 1tsp ground ginger ● 1 egg For the decoration: ● 250g dark chocolate, melted ● 100g milk chocolate, melted ●

1 2 3 4

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Beat together all the ingredients with a pinch of salt until a dough forms.

Roll the dough into 20 small balls and arrange on a baking tray. Chill for 10 mins.

Bake for 15 mins, until the biscuits are cooked through. Cool on a wire rack.

When cool, dip into the dark chocolate and leave to set. Once the chocolate is set, drizzle with the milk chocolate and leave to set again.

Top tip Try switching the chocolate quantities and doing a mix of milk chocolate biscuits with a dark drizzle or swap the milk for white.

Homemade jammy dodgers Nothing beats these homemade sweet treats.

MAKES 24 PREP 15 MINS COOK 15 MINS 125g butter, softened ● 60g icing sugar, plus extra, for dusting ● Few drops of vanilla extract ● 200g plain flour ● 8-10tbsp strawberry jam You will need: ● 5cm fluted round cookie cutter ● Small heart-shaped cutter

1

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Beat together the butter, 60g icing sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add the flour to form a dough. If the mixture is very soft, wrap it in a plastic bag and chill it until it’s firm enough to handle.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, or between 2 sheets of baking parchment, to about 5mm thick, and cut out 48 rounds with the fluted cookie cutter. Cut out hearts from the centre of 24 of the rounds. Use the trimmings to make more biscuits as you go.

Place the biscuits on lined baking sheets and bake for 12-15 mins, or until light golden. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Sandwich biscuits together with jam and dust with extra icing sugar. After a while, the icing sugar will dissolve into the jam to give shiny red centres.

2 Top tip Any smooth jam will work in these biscuits or you can sieve jam that contains fruit.

3 4

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COMPILED BY JESSICA RANSOM. RECIPES AND PHOTOS: TI-MEDIACONTENT.COM

●

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

WORDS: MICHAEL DARLING. PHOTOS: CBS, BBC/CURIOUS FILMS/ADAM LAWRENCE, BBC/NICKY JOHNSTON, BBC/KIERON MCCARRON GETTY, ITV, C4

Star Trek: Picard DON’T MISS!

AMAZON PRIME VIDEO Sir Patrick Stewart reprises his iconic role of Jean-Luc Picard, who he played in seven series of Star Trek: The Next Generation from 1987 to 1994. This new 10-part spin-off is set in 2399 and follows the former Captain of the USS Enterprise on the next chapter of his life, as he reconnects with old friends for a terrifying new battle.

Look out for some of his former co-stars, including Brent Spiner as the android Data, while the new cast includes Penny Dreadful’s Harry Treadaway.

Will Elnor, Dr Jurati and Picard live long and prosper?

DON’T MISS! Meg gets Haz mindful, and below, Chas eyes the prize

The Windsors C4 In the third series of the satirical royal comedy, Prince Harry looks a little different from when we last saw him… Taking over the role played by Richard Goulding for the last two series is Tom Durant-Pritchard. Under orders from his new wife Meghan (Kathryn Drysdale), Harry tries to

44

replace his hard drinking, ruggerbugger ways with mindfulness and mint tea.

Meanwhile, Wills, Kate, Harry and Meghan are feuding, and Charles has his eyes on the top job.

Chris Packham: 7.7 Billion People And Counting BBC2 In this one-off documentary, Chris investigates issues surrounding our planet’s growing population, which is predicted to increase to 10 billion by 2050. Evidence suggests that this will be unsustainable, so Chris looks at ways to stop, or at least slow down growth.

Chris counts the cost…

Doc meets guest star Goran

Doctor Who BBC1 Goran Visnjic, best known for playing Dr Luka Kovac in ER, guest stars as inventor and futurist Nikola Tesla, who encounters the Doctor and her companions on a new adventure. Former Hustle star Robert Glenister, who was previously seen in the drama 35 years ago, plays fellow inventor Thomas Edison.

16-22 January

Soap world

Your STARS

Coronation Street Has Fiz killed Jade?

Chat astrologer Sally Morgan reads your week ahead

Libra

Time for a tipple and a boogie – it’s serious fun with friends this week. An invitation to an event is not to be missed, so have your acceptance ready.

Self-indulgence and pure pleasure is the name of the game. Being ruled by Venus, you’ll truly be the love guru and everyone will want a piece of your wisdom.

● Call 0905 817 0690* for more

● Call 0905 817 0696* for more

Taurus

Scorpio

Do some fancy footwork in your job – but don’t tread on anyone else’s toes. A conversation will highlight someone’s feelings for you, so give honest answers.

You’ll find your energy in unexpected places this week. What you seek you are likely to find…so eyes on the prize! A lover will be attentive, expect flirty texts.

● Call 0905 817 0691* for more

● Call 0905 817 0697* for more

Gemini

Sagittarius

Fun and excitement will land in your lap this week without warning. Time to immerse yourself a little more deeply in playfulness with a loved one or partner.

Your heart is filled with love and appreciation, as you have someone in your sights whose every whim you’d love to fulfil. Be assertive and it’ll pay dividends.

● Call 0905 817 0692* for more

● Call 0905 817 0698* for more

Cancer

Capricorn

Check your facts and figures, as a miscalculation may work in your favour.

Going out on a limb for someone will see your kindness repaid tenfold.

Intriguing work or money matters will likely turn out well. Hold back on certain plans, though, until you’re ready to execute them to your advantage.

● Call 0905 817 0693* for more

● Call 0905 817 0699* for more

Leo

Aquarius

Go with the flow in love.

You can’t turn back the clock, nor force the tide to turn, but you’ll learn to float downstream and enjoy the journey ahead with a partner.

Finding your assertive voice makes others pay attention.

Time for a show of strength, and to work with someone in business matters. It’ll bring you rich rewards.

● Call 0905 817 0694* for more

● Call 0905 817 0700* for more

Virgo

Pisces

Right now, you’ll find exercise has lots of perks and indulging in a new sporty activity will get you noticed. An invitation will be well worth accepting.

Don’t make exercise a chore…but reach for the stars. It’s a week to really stretch yourself. Taking up a class the gym doesn’t offer will bring benefits.

● Call 0905 817 0695* for more

● Call 0905 817 0701* for more

21 March-20 April It’s a knock out: Fiz bashes Jade

EastEnders Sharon discovers the truth!

Ever since Keanu disappeared on Christmas Day, Sharon’s been worried that Phil’s had him murdered, but this week she discovers the truth when Linda drunkenly lets slip that he’s still alive. What will Sharon do in the light of this bombshell?

Aries

21 April-21 May

What will Sharon do about Keanu?

22 May-21 June

Emmerdale Who kills Graham?

When Graham is murdered by one of his many enemies it marks the beginning of a big whodunit in the Dales. The drama unfolds as the same day is played out from the perspectives of Charity, Marlon, Andrea, Jamie, Kim and Jai – who all have motives to kill Graham. Who will be revealed as the killer at the end of the week?

22 June-23 July Graham gets done in!

Hollyoaks It’s Jesse and Courtney’s big day!

Will the bride-to-be Courtney get the perfect day she hopes for with groom Jesse? Plus James is struggling to deal with the guilt of shooting Mercedes in the mistaken belief that she killed his lover Harry.

Also this week, a new romance ruffles some feathers in the village…

24 July-23 Aug

Will Courtney and Jesse’s day go to plan?

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.

Fiz’s troubles continue when Hope goes missing and she confronts Jade about her daughter’s disappearance.

As things get heated, Fiz ends up whacking Jade over the head with a chopping board! Will Jade be okay, or is Fiz now facing a murder charge?

LUCKY ESCAPE

Hypnotised b a handsome stranger That wasn’t mischief in his eyes, it was evil Sherry Deatrick, 63

WORDS: FRANCES LEATE, PUNTEHA VAN TERHEYDEN. PHOTOS: ALAMY, GETTY, PA IMAGES, VT FEATURES

P

lodding along the pavement, I felt beads of sweat rolling down my chest.

It was July 1974 and I’d had a stupid row with my 19-year-old boyfriend.

At 17, I was stubborn.

I insisted on walking the two miles home to New Albany, Indiana, rather than let him drive me.

Only, feeling hot and bothered in the midafternoon heat, I was starting to regret it.

Just then, I noticed the sound of a car driving slowly behind me.

As I turned around, I could see a man in his 20s behind the wheel of a pale-coloured Volkswagen.

He pulled over, right beside me, and wound down his window.

‘Would you like a ride?’ he smiled.

Attractive, with light, wavy hair, this handsome stranger had a mischievous glint in his eye.

‘That’s OK, I don’t have too far to go,’ I said, hesitant.

He seemed harmless enough – clean cut, wearing jeans and a shirt. Maybe even a bit nerdy, despite

46

his good looks.

But I knew it wasn’t clever to get in a car with a stranger.

‘Oh, don’t worry,’ he smiled, sensing my reluctance. ‘I’m a professor at the local college.’

Before I knew what I was doing, I jumped in beside him.

His car smelt musty, a whiff of stale tobacco.

I told him my address and as we drove along, he made small talk. Then...

‘Want to get some beer?’ he grinned, pulling up outside an off licence.

By now, I sensed an attraction between us.

And after arguing with

my boyfriend, having a few drinks with this good-looking professor seemed like fun.

Minutes later, I was sipping beer in the passenger seat as my new friend drove us out of town, towards Louisville, Kentucky.

‘Where are we going?’ I asked after 20 minutes.

‘I know a cool place,’ he grinned.

Handsome and hypnotic, it was as if he’d cast a spell over me.

Minutes later, he pulled up at a half-finished housing estate. Rows of empty buildings.

‘Let’s take a look,’ he winked, jumping

I followed him into one of the deserted houses

enthusiastically out of the car.

I followed him into one of the deserted houses. No walls, just wooden studs holding up the ceiling.

He walked towards me, leant in and kissed me.

To begin with, it was thrilling. His lips on mine, his arms around my waist.

Then I felt his hands going up and up the sides of my body...until they rested on my throat.

I opened my eyes, saw his were open, too.

Any trace of mischief was gone. Now they were wolf-like, predatory.

I shivered.

Fear flooded through me

The killer on trial

I had a lift in Bundy’s VW

Me in 1975

as his hands wrapped around my neck, tightening.

Then the sound of men’s voices made him freeze.

‘We’d better go,’ he said, dropping his hands down to his side.

And just like that, he completely changed.

From a wide-eyed preying animal, back to the geeky college professor.

On the way back, he was quiet, seemed as if he’d lost interest in me.

‘Take care,’ he smiled as he dropped me at the end of my street.

That night, I felt strange.

What just happened to me?

Later, I made up with my boyfriend and vowed not to tell a soul about that day.

As the years went on, I forgot all about it. I finally split from my boyfriend, moved to Washington, and worked as a file clerk.

Then, in the winter of

who had offered me a lift home 10 years ago was the killer Ted Bundy.

If it hadn’t been for those men on That gaze... the building site Ted Bundy who’d disturbed us, I could have been one of his 1984, I was watching the victims, too. news in my flat.

‘It can’t be,’ a friend of They had a report about mine said when I told her the serial killer Ted Bundy, later that night. who was awaiting trial for But the more I read and the murder of an estimated saw about Bundy, the more 30 women.

I was certain of it.

Of course, I’d heard about More shocking news came him before. in about the twisted things Charming and he’d done to his victims. charismatic, I’d heard how He had decapitated 12 he’d lure women of them, took gruesome into his car and pictures of some of their then overpower bodies and even kept skulls them, rape and as souvenirs. kill them.

I could hardly believe how But seeing his face on television for the first time, I realised something. I recognised that wavy hair, the handsome features.

And that mischievous glint in his eye...

Suddenly, I was back in that half-built housing estate in July 1974.

Chills shivered down my spine.

Today: I survived It was him.

The bewitching man

I recognised that wavy hair, those handsome features

I’d had such a lucky escape.

Years later, just before Bundy’s execution in January 1989, I saw a TV interview with him.

Suddenly, he turned to the camera and smiled.

‘There are some people in Kentucky who are lucky to be alive,’ he said.

I felt as if he was talking directly to me.

Then in July 2012, I was visiting my mum Mary, then 76, in my home town of New Albany.

On our way back from a restaurant, Mum asked me to stop for wine.

I found myself parked outside the same off-licence I’d stopped with Bundy all those years before.

‘There’s something I want to tell you,’ I said.

And so I told Mum all that had happened on that summer’s afternoon.

For the first time ever, I confessed everything, as she listened, gobsmacked, the colour draining from her face.

‘I’m so grateful you escaped him,’ she sobbed.

Now, not a day goes by when I don’t feel incredibly grateful.

Like so many young women, I’d fallen for Bundy’s charms.

Unlike many others, I lived to tell the tale.

47

YOU LITTLE BEAUTY

LOOK GREAT TODAY

3 OF THE BEST EYELINERS

Your questions answered, plus our pick of the products

Q

How do I apply blusher without it looking over the top and cakey?

Karen Malin, 60

LETTEeR of th ! week

Blusher is a great way to enhance and awaken your complexion. If you’re finding your blusher isn’t sitting well, opt for cream or gel formulas like Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blusher, £6.99, or Rimmel Blush Jellies, £7.99. Warm the product up between your fingers and dab on the apples of your cheeks for a light sheen.

If you have an oily complexion, powder will be more suited to you.

We love Kiko Pop Revolution Blush To Go, £9.99. It comes in a stick format, making it easy to apply on the move.

Sophie Cullen, Contributing Beauty Editor, shares her favourites Maybelline Tattoo Liner Liquid Ink, £9.99 Smudge-resistant, sweat-resistantandflakeresistant, with a fine tip that seamlessly glides along the lash line without any skips or drags, allowing you to create your desired finish.

A

COMPILED BY: SOPHIE CULLEN. MAIN PHOTO: GETTY

TRIED AND TESTED Revolution 12.5% Vitamin C Serum, £10 For ultra glowy, smooth skin, you need this super serum. Either use alone or add a couple of drops to your fave moisturiser, and say hello to a clearer, brighter complexion.

48

Rimmel Wonder Ink Ultimate 24hr Waterproof Liner, £6.99 Ultra-black, longwearing and foolproof application.

Sound like the perfect eyeliner? We think so!

Plus, it delivers a super pigmented finish.

BEST BUY!

Lacura Facial Cream, £4.99 Skin feeling a little meh?

Start using this nourishing cream day and night. It’s packed with hydrating ingredients such as sea algae to leave your skin more supple and plump.

Revlon Ultra HD Vinyl Lip Polish, £8.99 Add a pop of colour to your lips for the winter.

Our fave shade? Birthday Suit, a creamy light pink hue that doesn’t budge all day.

MasqueBAR Naturals Green Tea Sheet Mask, £4.99 Make this sheet mask your weekly go-to for banishing dry, dull skin. Pop on for 30 minutes and let the green tea and vitamin E cocktail get to work.

Revlon ColorStay Exactify, £8.99 This provides a pro-level finish due to the small and shapely angled wheel.

Simply roll the satinmatte black formula over your eyelid and voila, you’re finished.

TOP TIP

Tired of your lips fading throug tick smearing or hou it with translu t the day? Set ce blotting it thr nt powder, ough to make sure a tissue it’s the right amo just unt.

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

£500 cash!

WIN

THE BIG QUIZ

£500 Puzzle 18

T

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 – JUN What is the name of the panther in The Jungle Book? (8) Which actress starred in the 2007 film Juno? (5, 4) In which 1994 film does Arnold Schwarzenegger play a pregnant man? (6)

1 2 3

WHERE IN THE WORLD? JAN In which South American country is the city of Rio de Janeiro? (6) Azerbaijan lies on which body of water? (7, 3) Ljubljana is the capital of which European country? (8)

S R E V I L L U G M A

F B U O Y S N E E E I

P T R T C T S G P R N

W E M A J O A N W I E

JON What is the name of Jon’s cat in the cartoon strip

by Jim Davis? (8) What word completes the title of the novel

by Jonathan Swift, … Travels? (9) What name is shared by a Channel 4 newscaster and Kit Harington’s character in the TV series Game of Thrones? (3, 4)

7

G O E I Z P E M N C V

A H N R N I O S A A O

R S A E T T L S I N L

F T L L D S P O S I S

I L O H L I L R S D E

E A T U A E C Y U O C

JIN

3. Which film is this?

10

In which city were the 2008 Summer Olympic Games held? (7)

D O S I N F D E H E S

J E C O D H R A R N M

A B A G H E E R A R R

Z T G N I J I E B Y Y

ballet dancer Nijinsky? (7) JEN

13

9

5 6

L C N N M R B T R L D

6. Where is this capital city?

8

4

PHOTOS: ALAMY, GETTY

C O J U N I O R E A U

Jennifer Lopez was a judge on which US talent show, alongside Harry Connick Jr and Keith Urban? (8, 4) What was the first name of Jennifer Saunders’ character in Absolutely Fabulous? (5) Who played the title role in the film Florence Foster Jenkins?

(5, 6)

14

11 12

Which actress played Jinx in the Bond film Die Another Day? (5, 5) What nationality was the

15

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

49

HOLIDAY TIME

WORDS: HELENA CARTWRIGHT. PHOTOS: ALAMY, GETTY, MICHAEL KLEINBERG

Head to the Big Apple for a trip of a lifetime you won’t forget See the harbour by boat

1

Normally, peering up a lady’s skirt isn’t the done thing, but when you’re standing directly under the Statue of Liberty you can’t help but crane your neck upwards. Book with Statue Cruises (adult tickets from £13.90; statuecruises.com) and your fare includes the ferry from Battery Park, access inside the statue at pedestal level and a ticket for Ellis Island. But be warned, if you want to go inside Liberty’s crown, you’ll need to book at least 12 weeks ahead.

A trip to Liberty Island is a must!

50

s n o s t a e r 6 o visi t

TOP TIP

ractions Pre-book any att rough ahead of time th ts Attraction Ticke m). As well o .c ts e k c ti n o ti c (attra kets, you’ll as savings on tic g queues also jump the lon lar at the most popu tourist spots.

Get a culture fix at The Met

Experience Brooklyn

Shop till you drop Bag some NY style at Macy’s

2

A MetroCard loaded with $20 (available from any subway station) should be enough to get you around town during a threenight stay. Use it to jump on the ‘L’ line to Williamsburg for a villagelike vibe where you can rummage for bargains in quirky thrift shops.

Williamsburg Bridge

3

For department store trips, Midtown does it best. Walk up 5th Avenue from Saks at 49th Street to Bergdorf Goodman at 58th, and don’t miss Macy’s (34th Street and Broadway) and Barney’s (Madison Avenue). If outlet shopping is your thing, head to Woodbury Common Premium Outlets. Its 220 stores offer savings of 25-65% off the original price of many US brands, such as Ralph Lauren, Converse and Calvin Klein.

Get the best views Kick back and relax at the Moxy

5

Take in the museums

4

Whether it’s fashion, history or art that sparks your interest, New York’s museums will leave you inspired. Many big names are in walking distance to Central Park, including The Met (Adults £18.90, metmuseum.org). The impressive mansion that’s home to the Frick Collection is worth seeing and includes paintings by Renoir and Holbein (frick.org). Don’t miss the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) to see works by Andy Warhol. Adults £18.90; moma.org.

While the One World Observatory elevates you higher than any other building and the art deco Empire State Building has panoramic views, if you’re doing just one skyscraper, make it the Top of the Rock. From this 70th floor observation deck at the Rockefeller Center you get an unmatched perspective of Central Park and can literally peer down among the trees.

Stay stylish

6

The iconic Empire State Building

Hotel rooms in New York can be cupboard-like, but not at the Moxy, Chelsea (moxychelsea.com).

Situated in the heart of the city’s flower district, you enter the hotel via a fragrant flower shop. The rooms have brilliant space-saving solutions such as under-bed storage and multipurpose furniture. The secondfloor conservatory and bar is a stylish space to relax, and sample oven-fired pizzas and cocktails.

51

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THE BIG CR I M E BEHIN JUSTICE AT LAST

Cold case, cold heart

Zachary O’Neill: killer or fantasist?

F

or 20 years, the family of 18-yearold Miranda Fenner desperately hoped for answers. Ever since the nightmare began on the evening of 15 November 1998.

Police were called to a video rental store in Laurel, Montana, where Miranda was working.

A report had come in from a passing motorist that a young woman had been seen crawling on her hands and knees – and covered in blood.

Arriving shortly after, officers discovered beloved Miranda. She’d been left for dead.

Multiple stab wounds plastered her mutilated

body, her throat slashed.

She’d managed to crawl from the back of the shop to the front. And, somehow, the teenager survived for 90 agonising minutes.

But after being rushed to hospital, she succumbed to her injuries. Miranda had been brutally murdered.

Who would want to kill this innocent high-school graduate?

Her killer left no evidence, didn’t steal from the shop or from Miranda.

As authorities scrambled to find the perpetrator, they were left stumped.

Numerous people came forward, some even falsely claiming responsibility for the fatal attack.

Others made accusations about who had committed

Who would want to kill this highschool graduate?

54

A monster was on the loose for two painful decades the heinous crime.

And though countless potential suspects were questioned, the police had nothing concrete.

Miranda’s family reached out, offering a $25,000 reward (around £20,000) to anyone who could help find her killer. But years went by and the case went cold.

Until, in October 2013, police got a tip-off. A woman came forward with a story they hadn’t heard before.

She said her ex-husband’s son Zachary O’Neill was a ‘very violent person’.

But what was more, she said O’Neill had gone out to rent a film from the shop where Miranda worked on the night of her killing.

But there was no evidence, no motive, no other information to build a case.

In 2016, O’Neill was admitted to a psychiatric

ward of a hospital. There, he confessed to killing Miranda – but he also said he’d committed another murder that simply hadn’t happened.

Police didn’t consider him a credible suspect.

Then, a year later, 37-year-old O’Neill walked into a police station, tried to confess again. He was nervous and upset, confused and apprehensive.

O’Neill said he’d gone to the video rental shop on that fateful night almost 20 years before. He said he’d rented four films, including porn, which his mother had told him to take back.

But at the time, he’d had a drug habit, smoking methamphetamine earlier that day. On his way back, he decided to rob the shop to fund his habit.

Waiting for the shop to

Miranda’s photo appears at a news conference

clear of customers, he the attempted murder and pointed a gun at Miranda rape case, the dots were and demanded the money. finally joining up.

But fearing leaving an O’Neill was the man they’d eyewitness, O’Neill took it been unable to track down one step further. Murder. for two decades. He was ‘I tried to slit her throat, Miranda Fenner’s killer. but it [the knife] was too Asked why he hadn’t come jagged. I could hear her forward sooner, he said that, gurgling on her own blood,’ at the time, he hadn’t cared.

O’Neill told investigators.

But over the years, he Police were finally taking him seriously.

The teenager O’Neill also confessed was left for dead to the rape and attempted murder of another woman in September 1998. Told police he’d tried to kill her, slitting her throat to avoid being caught for rape.

As he revealed fresh details, his confessions became more credible.

When his DNA matched with that of

claimed he’d felt shame and regret over his actions.

In a July 2019 court case, Zachary O’Neill, 39, pleaded guilty to the murder of Miranda Fenner, as well as the rape and attempted murder of a second victim.

In August, he was sentenced.

Appearing in court, he wore a purple shirt and trousers.

He was shackled, handcuffed.

Finally, justice was being served. And Miranda’s family were there to see it happen.

As sentencing began, a police detective described the day O’Neill made his confession.

Then, the second

victim made a statement: ‘The worst day of my life, the day I fought evil in its purest form and survived.’

She told how the traumatic experience had led to years of depression, suicidal thoughts.

Bravely, Miranda’s parents spoke, too.

‘You are a vicious monster, not a human being. You deserve every horrible thing that comes your way.

There is no forgiveness in my soul and remorse in my thoughts,’ her mum Sherry Fenner said.

Her dad Mike asked for a severe punishment.

‘You are lucky I am not the judge because I would have hung you to death,’ he said.

At Mike’s request, photos of his daughter were shown on a courtroom screen.

As O’Neill’s lawyer Kris Copenhaver spoke, she tried to justify the defendant’s actions. She explained he’d had a drug habit since the age of 10.

And she said he was no longer the same man who’d committed the horrific crimes.

‘Zach has changed, and he will continue to change since he came forward to confess of these crimes to law enforcement,’ she said.

O’Neill was handed three concurrent life sentences, eligible for parole after 30 years.

For Miranda Fenner’s family, after two painful decades of waiting, they were given closure and justice for the loss of their young daughter.

‘You are lucky that I am not the judge...’

55

WORDS: MISHAAL KHAN. PHOTOS: AP, MATTHEW BROWN/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK

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LONG WAIT FOR LOVE

A letter to...

My first crush

DearAndrew,

F

had girlfriends.

Once we left, iling into the we went our classroom on separate ways. our first day of I married and Look at secondary school, divorced twice, h us now! we were paired two daughters, L off by the teacher. in 1984 and Jodie in 1991. your family, ‘You can sit next to Andrew,’ And, truthfully, I never I was here with our form tutor smiled. thought of you. my daughters.

As I slid onto the chair That was, until 2009.

But you liked my So sweet... You and next to you, I could hear Joining Facebook, I spotted posts all the time. me, way back when everyone giggling. your profile under ‘people And in 2016, you We were the only boy-girl you might know’. Couldn’t confessed you were pairing in the class. help but feel intrigued. getting divorced, 2017, you How embarrassing!

And then you sent me asked for my advice. booked a flight to England, Clearly, from the look on a friend request.

It was the same time as I told me to be free. your face, you weren’t a fan, Remember me? you typed. was having trouble at work.

But, sneaky thing you either. You didn’t say a word Of course! I replied.

We started chatting on are, you surprised me a to me, didn’t even smile.

The first words we’d the phone. Confiding in one day early.

In fact, you jabbed me ever exchanged! another, we became closer.

Sharing our first kiss was with your pencil!

You were in When your divorce incredible. From then on, For the next year, we America with finalised in we never wanted sat next to each other February 2017, to be apart. in awkward silence. our calls became Your 10-day But it wasn’t that I more frequent. visit lasted disliked you. I actually And my three weeks. thought you were feelings shifted.

When you kind of cute.

Butterflies went back home, Just 11, fluttered as it wasn’t long I didn’t I answered our before one of us say anything. nightly video call. was on a plane.

But it was Could I actually be falling In June 2018, you popped fun to sneak for you? I wondered. the question in Paris. We peeks at you, Keeping my feelings tied the knot a year later. daydream secret for now, we You went from my childhood when carried on talking. crush to my hubby!

I should But, one night, you I wish we hadn’t spent all have been sent a message that those years apart. But we’re taking made my heart soar. making up for lost time now. notes.

I really fancied you Better late than never!

The school at school, but I was years whizzed too shy to ask you out. past, we And then you had different admitted you felt We’re making friends, I had the same way now. up for lost time Karen Wilson, 59, Cheshunt boyfriends, you So, in February

WORDS: EMMA ROSSITER, RIA NEWMAN

Butterflies fluttered as I answered our nightly video call

Love, Karen xxx

58