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13 FEB 2020 ISSUE 7

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BLOODSHED BFFs at war!

0 7

after she bedded my ex

HOT AND HAPPY...

Check out my fit fella now!

25 HEART ATTACKS IN A DAY

My miracle lad stunned docs

PLUS!

Family horror...

DIDMUM’S AFFAIR LEAVE 5BABIES DEAD?

STYLISH RKET SUPERMA SWEEP

DATE NIGHT DINNEnRner!

Sizes 6-24!

For a te

WI£N! ££

9 770269 989279 Ita €3.50 Spn €2.85 Grc €3 Can C$5.50 NZ $5 Aus(sea) $4.99

I helped jail my EVIL TWIN

And why does she want mercy for the killer?

Come on in

p10

Welcome to this week’s Chat...

F

auve’s tiny baby boy Theo survived something that would see off most grown men (p10).

Vanessa’s Facebook profile told the story of a happy marriage but, after she died, a dark truth emerged (p16).

And being a twin was something Margaret cherished – until she heard something about her brother that disgusted her (p24).

There are more real-life stories, puzzles, cheap ideas for a quick, cosy home update (p31), an easy romantic meal (p42) and the latest supermarket fashions (p12).

Plus loads more!

p16

p24

p31

p12

p42

Contents

On the cover

More true stories Your favourites

Get puzzling

6 Bloodshed after she bedded my ex 10 25 heart attacks in a day... he’s a miracle 12 Supermarket sweep!

24 I helped jail my evil twin 26 Free bracelet for every reader 39 Hot and happy...

42 Date night dinner 54 Did mum’s affair leave 5 babies dead?

16 18 20 28 32

8 8 8 10 15 23 23 23 23 30 30 30 32 34 34 38 38 49 56

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All for the camera?

5 a day is for wimps!

Forget me not Bingo winner 5,000 miles from perfect 36 Every mother’s worst nightmare 46 Beastly beauties 58 A letter to… a wife in a million

4 9 21 22 27 31 35 41 44 45 48 50

Picture perfect Just genius!

Health news Ask Dr Martin Year in crimes: 1995 Best throws Ask Aunty Nelly Cash smart Telly week Your stars You little beauty Holiday time: Budapest

GET IN TOUCH!

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

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

57 We won!

3

Picture perfect Anoth

filled week in Chat land

The three wise daxies…see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil! My adorable trio Tilly, Frank and Millie.

Karen Welch, Warrington

It’s me, striking a ‘model’ pose at an outside event for Hospital Radio banger racing!

Linda Nesbitt, Conwy

Bertie’s got his gear on and he’s ready for his stroll – he can’t understand what's taking me so long to get ready!

Nick Roche, Northampton

Here’s me and my lovely hubby Richard, when we met back in 1976. We’ve been married for 40 years.

Brita Bevis, Sleaford

My daughter Mia, 1, and I enjoyed a day at our local farm. She loved playing farmer on the tractor!

Lisa Adams, Halesowen

Flower potty! Visiting a lovely cafe in Devon, I was impressed by this creation.

Christine Bartram, Heanor

Our 8-month old Maine Coon kitten, Bob loves to show off his magnificent furry tail!

Mo Smith, Cardiff

The moment I realised what true love is – when my son Freddie was born. I can't believe he’s 3 already!

Clare Tedstone, Willingham

for any photos that we use

£25 On Valentine’s Day, my hubby Ken and I always get dressed up and go to the theatre to see a music gig.

Colleen Brunton, Enfield

Just look at Mama’s cutie!

I love my littl’un so much!

Sian Salsbury, Cradley Heath

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.

GLASSED!

Who needs es?!

She bedded my ex – but didn’t stop there…

R

auren Jane, 25, Llanelli

Maddie (left) and me – we loved a night out together

ummaging through my wardrobe, I pulled out armfuls of dresses, kirts and jackets.

Laying it all on the , I turned to my riend Maddie, 19. w anything you smiled. ks, babe!’ she said.

13 February 2019 as helping Maddie y for a night out. known each other years, were the best s. e loved any excuse ammed up together. d countless nights he town. ecially since roken up with m, 27. hought we had thing special. doted on my er from a previous ship. But after two we’d split. d been devastated. a true friend, Maddie n there for me. e better off without she’d said, wiping y my tears. he’d comforted when I missed stracted me if I’d

been thinking of him.

Truth is, it was only thanks to Maddie that I’d made it through the break-up at all.

‘I’m always here for you,’ she’d soothe.

‘And I’ve got your back, too,’ I promised.

I really believed it didn’t matter what guys came in and out of our lives.

Maddie and I would be friends forever.

So, when she’d told me she was heading out the night before Valentine’s Day, I said she could come over to mine.

She was off on a work do, while I was planning on having a night in.

‘But we’ll make you look fit!’ I promised.

Popping the prosecco, I helped Maddie get ready.

‘You’re stunning!’ I said as I used my nicest make-up on her.

‘You’re the best,’ she said.

She must have tried on every item in my wardrobe before settling on a black dress. I even offered her my new leather jacket to match.

‘Thanks, babe,’ she smiled.

‘I’ll see you later.’

‘Have fun!’ I said cheerily, waving her off when her cab arrived.

Tucking myself into bed around 1am, I made a

Swansea Crown Court

Blood trickled down my face...

mental note to ring Maddie in the morning.

We’d always have a natter about the gossip from the night before.

Only, waking up the next morning, I had a message from a mutual friend of ours.

You should know – Maddie went home with Adam last night.

Sitting up in bed, I almost burst out laughing. Maddie would never hurt me by copping off with my ex.

I rang Maddie, only it went straight to voicemail.

She’s sleeping it off, I reasoned.

Over the next few hours, I kept trying her, still got no answer.

But then, finally, I received a picture message from Maddie.

I expected a cute snap of her from the previous night, instead I felt instantly sick.

The picture was of Maddie in bed…

And she wasn’t alone.

She was with Adam!

‘Happy Valentine’s Day, babe!’ she’d written underneath it.

Dropping my phone, I felt

the I thought we room were mates! spin.

How could she do this to me?

She’d known, more than anyone, how upset I’d been.

She’d been the one to tell me I deserved better.

Now here she was in bed with the bloke who’d broken my heart.

And she’d borrowed my dress to pull him in!

None of it made sense.

Emotions running into overload, I felt fury collide with heartbreak.

I’d been betrayed by my best friend.

‘Don’t ever contact me again,’ I replied eventually.

All I’d ever been was a

good friend to Maddie.

And I’d stuck up for her countless times.

Even my own mum had warned me off her. But I’d defended Maddie time and time again.

How wrong I’d been!

Now I just hoped that Maddie would leave me alone for good.

By May 2019, I was feeling positive, ready to get on with my life.

Finishing my shift at the gin bar where I worked in Swansea, I was ready to let my hair down.

‘It’s the bank holiday, let’s go have some fun,’ my colleague suggested.

I really needed a night out after everything I’d been through.

So, freshening up my lippy, we headed out.

Walking into a local cocktail joint, I made a beeline for the bar.

But as I waited to be served, I heard something smash next to me.

Looking down, I saw a pint glass shattered on the floor.

And suddenly, I felt a huge thud on my forehead.

Liquid trickled down my face.

At first, I just thought it was from a drink, but reaching up to touch my face, I knew immediately

The judge said it was ‘pure spite and jealousy’

that it was blood.

Glass lay in pieces around me at my feet.

Someone was screaming in my direction.

As the room spun, I realised I’d been glassed.

And when I finally looked up, I could see who’d thrown it at me.

Maddie.

She was yelling at me, held back by bouncers.

‘I’ll f*****g have you!’ she yelled.

Dazed and confused, I was escorted outside.

Police arrested Maddie and I gave a statement.

Taken to Prince Philip Hospital, I was in so much pain.

Nurses removed a shard of glass from the wound on my forehead before stitching me up.

Maddie Elliott, 19, was charged, and at Swansea Crown Court in October 2019, she admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and common assault.

The judge said she’d acted out of ‘pure spite and jealousy’.

But her sentence was dismal. She was handed a 14-month suspended sentence, 240 hours of community service, and a rehabilitation order.

Later, she was given a three-year restraining order, told to keep away from me.

And I just hope she does.

In time, I realised Maddie had never been my friend.

If she was, she wouldn’t have betrayed me, wouldn’t have attacked me.

Because with friends like Maddie, who needs enemies?

7

£500 cash!

NUMBER JIG A

letter rack donated to a Cardiff charity shop sold at auction for how many pounds? Fit these numbers into the grid. One number doesn’t fit. This is the prize answer.

3 digits

4 digits

147 174 242 342 346 358 581 700 765 887 903 941 981

1214 2466 4623 5829 6777 6931 7636 9117 9565

WIN0

£25

Puzzle 1

5 digits 12436 12500 19650 20695 21736 25573 32515 34461

9

66645 76318 91276

0 3

6 digits 271001 400137 445885 645214 687807

7 digits 3781880 5530447 8767020 9256813

8 digits 35339455

Your answer:

SPIRAL XWORD A

scientist has found that the deepest point on land lies in which continent?

The answer to each clue (apart from the first) begins with the last letter of the preceding answer. The shaded squares will spell out the one-word prize answer.

T A M P E R E D

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12

Your answer: 8

13 14 15

WIN0 T

£15

Puzzle 2

Meddled (8) Thumbtacks (7-4) Blessed (6) Regional speech (7) Newcastle’s river (4) Religious festival (6) Immune, proof (9) Strictly Come Dancing co-presenter (4, 4) Sailing for pleasure (8) Spirit with bitter water (3, 3, 5) A language of the Balkans (8) Translucent window drapes (3,8) Disperse (7) Take (an exam) again (5) Honestly (5)

THREE IN A ROW

he World Heritage Site of Rila Monastery lies in which European country? To find out solve the puzzle...

Make three nine-letter words using all of these three-letter sections and enter them in the grid. We’ve given you three letters to start you off. Unscramble the shaded letters to find the one-word prize answer.

R T M

OMA NAD IER

SHA AUT LIC

MBO TIC GRE

Your answer:

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

W4INx

£25 Puzzle 3

Genius Just

Your tips are the tops!

£25

Somelikeithot

For every photo tip that we print

Pop your plates in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes before serving your meal. It takes the chill off them.

Christine Drake, Haworth

Mix and mash

Sole-full

My husband had the great idea of using a coat rack as a shoe rack, low on the wall, to keep things tidy.

Leona Heckman, Trefnant

To keep your spuds fresher for longer, pop an apple in the bag with them.

The ethylene gas stops them from sprouting.

Amanda Hadley, Cradley Heath

Common scents I have so much lavender growing in my garden, I decided to make essential oil with it. I use it to polish the oak furniture in my kitchen, which makes the room smell lovely!

Lisa Marie Strzeszewski, Tardes, France

The daily grind

Use a small funnel when filling up salt and pepper pots. It makes the task much quicker and isn’t nearly as messy.

Carol Wood, Kendal

Roastassured

Use a trouser coat hanger as a recipe-book holder. The clips are strong enough to hold the book and the hook lets you hang it in a convenient spot.

Amy Higinbotham, Congleton

Tips must be your own idea, and not appear in other mags. If published, we pay £25 for tips with photos.

Send tips, photos, name and full address to: Tips page, Chat, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP or email us at chat_magazine@ti-media.com Remember, these are YOUR tips – we haven’t tried them ourselves

9

Cash!

MIRACLE BOY

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE A

B

C

D

1

2

Seeing my baby like this was so hard

3

His good behaviour was a sign of something sinister

4 B

C

D

1

2

3

4

WIN0 £3

5xPuzzle 4

PHOTO: GETTY

A

Fauve Syers, 31, Salford

A

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

Br he Th

TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details

s my newborn son Theo snoozed in his cot, he didn’t as much as stir.

It was May 2017 and I couldn’t believe how lucky we were with him sleeping through the night.

‘He’s a godsend, isn’t he?’ I smiled to my partner Steven, then 34.

I’d heard horror stories of babies wailing constantly in those first few days.

Not our little Theo.

But when Theo was just eight days old, I noticed his little lips looked blue.

‘Stick the heating on, will you?’ I asked Steven.

But minutes later, his lips were still tinged blue.

‘Something’s wrong,’ I panicked.

Ringing 111, I listed his symptoms – he was breathing with his tummy and his head was frantically going up and down as he breathed in and out, but at the same time he was lethargic.

Within minutes, they’d sent an ambulance.

Taken to Salford Royal

Hospital, we were shocked to find a team of 40 medics waiting for us.

Respiratory, sepsis, cardiac, were the words on a whiteboard on the ward.

A list of potential diagnoses from the symptoms I’d described over the phone.

Terrifying.

After Theo had undergone tests, Steven and I were ushered into a side room.

‘Theo has heart failure,’ the doctor explained. ‘If we don’t operate, he will die.’

We soon understood Theo’s quiet nature hadn’t just been good behaviour.

It’d been a sign of something sinister. He was in a critical condition.

As soon as Theo was stable, he was rushed to the Intensive Care unit at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, in Liverpool.

Four days later, on 25 May 2017, 12-day-old Theo had open heart surgery.

Sick with worry, all we could do was wait. And after an excruciating 13 hours, the doctor had news.

‘He suffered a heart attack as we were operating, but it’s gone as well as it

could,’ the doctor said.

It was too much to bear.

The baby in the incubator didn’t look like our Theo.

His chest was still open from surgery, he was swollen and pale.

I felt so helpless from the other side of the glass.

After three months in hospital and a terrifying brush with sepsis, in July 2017, we were finally allowed to bring Theo home.

But it was tough.

He needed 30 types of medication a day and we were terrified of him having another

heart attack.

‘Please be OK,’ I said to him.

At least we were at home, where Our star! Steven, Theo belonged. I Theo and me took him to a local mother and baby group and to heart stopped for 12 friends’ houses to play. minutes. Medics struggled After months of to resuscitate him. arrhythmia, when the heart But yet again, our little rate spikes to dangerous soldier made it through. levels, Theo was readmitted He spent his first to hospital for six months.

Christmas in Intensive Care.

Then, on 21 December, We thought our bad luck he had his biggest was up. But on 31 January heart attack 2018, Theo yet. His suffered 25 heart attacks.

Almost died.

His consultant told us he’d never seen a child have so many cardiac arrests in such a short space of time.

All Steven and I could do was watch as the resus team worked on him, performing countless chest compressions.

‘I don’t know how much more he can take,’ I cried.

The stream of attacks led the doctors to carry out another high-risk operation.

Despite all the scans and bonny My tests, the doctors explained boy, aged 2 that they couldn’t be certain what was happening to

Theo until they opened him up and saw for themselves.

He was unlikely to survive such invasive surgery at such a young age.

But we had no choice.

It was Theo’s only chance.

Preparing for the worst, we spent 10 hours pacing the corridors.

And then...

‘It’s gone well,’ the doctor said. ‘He’s a true miracle.’

Theo was taken off life support the next day.

He had colour back in his cheeks and he looked like a completely different baby.

After three months, we took Theo home.

Now, he’s coming up to his third birthday.

He’s such a lively and outgoing toddler, so cheeky.

To look at him, nobody would know what he’d been through – and, amazingly, he’s completely healthy now.

I can’t think of a better reason to celebrate.

In just one day, he suffered 25 heart attacks

11

WORDS: FIONA KINLOCH, ANN CUSACK. PHOTOS: FOCUS FEATURES

rave eart heo

FASHION

GEORGE at ASDA

All sizes 8-24

Coat, £26

STYLE TIP

Team blue denim with tan accessories for a match made

Jeans, £16

Blouse, £16

Boots, £19

Jumpsuit, £22, sizes 8-24, boots, £22.50, bag, £16, earrings and necklace, stylist’s own

Bag, £16

Jacket, £20, dress, £20, both sizes 8-22, trainers, stylist’s own

All sizes 8-22

NUTMEG at MORRISONS Jumper, £12

STYLE TIP

COMPILED BY: EMMA WHITE

Stay comfortable in a knitted co-ord

12

Skirt, £14

Dress, £18

Top, £12

Coat, £25

F&F at TESCO

Top, £12.50

All sizes 6-22

Skirt, £20

STYLE TIP

Keep it casual with a jumper and skirt combo

Shoes, £17 Dress, £26

Jacket, £22

STYLE All sizes 8-24

eat g your weekly food shop

Shirt, £18, jeans, £18, both sizes 6-22, trainers, £10

TU at SAINSBURY’S

Roll neck, £8.50, jumper, £20, skirt, £18, all sizes 8-24, boots, £22, bag, £16, earrings, stylist’s own

Dress, £22

Blazer, £25

Trainers, £16

Trousers, £18

Boiler suit, £32

STYLE TIP

Transition into spring with a floral midi dress 13

ACROSS 1 Money tin (4, 3) 5 Crosses the road unlawfully (8) 9 Sound bounce (4) 13 ... Horan, singer (5) 14 Having sharp corners (7) 15 Way that fabric feels (7) 16 ... Hawke, actor (5) 17 Consuming (5) 18 Most modern (6) 20 Rotating machine (5) 21 Extension (of a licence, eg) (7) 23 Arduous journey (4) 26 Expressed in words (4) 27 Make available (7) 30 Untidily dressed (7) 34 Become less drunk (5, 2) 36 Garment’s inner material (6) 37 Showbiz star, familiarly (5) 39 Cravings (10) 40 Rush hour (4, 6) 42 African river (5) 43 Expel from a country (6) 44 Argue, quarrel (7) 46 Superficial layers (7) 47 Marvels, miracles (7) 48 Assist (in a crime) (4) 53 Too, as well (4) 54 Ironworks (7) 55 Small cove or bay (5) 58 Wood for building (6) 60 Show a response (5) 62 First name of singer Ms Sandé (5) 66 Furthest away (7) 67 Fashionable set (2-5) 68 Bay window (5) 69 Ancient Japanese form of wrestling (4) 70 Move on, go forward (8) 71 Shop ..., union official (7) DOWN 1 Keep secret or hidden (7) 2 Popular variety of pasta (9) 3 ... to, was owned by (8) 4 Hospital picture (1-3) 5 Goes for a run (4) 6 Cries out (5) 7 Organised, planned (8) 8 ... Beckinsale, actor (4) 10 Laundry slide (5) 11 Pass another car (8) 12 Person living abroad (5) 19 Month before April (5) 22 Finishing (6) 24 Topping up (9) 25 Bodybuilder (9) 26 Continues (8) 28 Mend or patch up (6) 29 Pleated edges of sheets (8) 31 Basic foodstuffs (9) 32 Crawling (with) (8) 33 Ready to do as told (8)

WIN1

£1,00 Puzzle 5

1

2

THE BIGGIE 3

4

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8

9

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23

24

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35 Gradually (2, 7) 38 Kebab stick (6) 41 Great respect (6) 45 Tool for sweeping (5) 49 Classical female dancer (9) 50 Bouncy part of a bed (8) 51 Vexing, enraging (8) 52 Same-hour international region (4, 4) 56 Spun round (7) 57 Something used as a lure (5) 59 Counterpart of ‘sir’ (5) 61 Ride a bike (5) 63 Begin to move (4) 64 Throw a pancake (4) 65 Bookie’s prices (4)

68

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£1,001 winner Issue 45, 7 November 2019 ‘I feel great to have won. This is my first time after a long time doing Chat puzzles. I’ll put it towards a holiday.’

Teresa Warner, Leighton Buzzard

PHOTOS: GETTY

W

hat links musician Brian May and impressionist Jon Culshaw? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the two-word prize answer.

£1,001 cash!

Your answer:

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

15

SOBS IN THE DOCK

All for the camera?

YOUÕRE

E JUDGE!

Maybe the happy Facebook photographs hid a dark truthÉ

S

Andrew admitted substance abuse

16

crolling through Vanessa Masucci’s Facebook profile, it would be easy to think she had it all.

Regular posts drew a timeline of her courtship with her partner Andrew MacCormack.

An announcement of their engagement, happy snaps of their wedding.

Vanessa’s profile picture showed her in a beautiful fishtail gown on her big day, glowing with happiness.

She was a teacher, Andrew had a good job in a union.

They lived in a new house in Revere, Massachusetts, USA. And in 2016, they’d announced the arrival of their baby girl. It should have been the start of a long, happy future.

But on September 2017, tragedy struck.

Andrew was out when he received a worried phone call from Vanessa’s parents.

They couldn’t reach her.

Andrew raced back home, staying on the line to Vanessa’s mum.

Arriving, he told them he’d found Vanessa dead.

Calling 911, Andrew

seemed panicked.

‘She’s dead, I think,’ he said, sounding shell-shocked.

Soon after, officers arrived at the couple’s home.

Doting mother

Vanessa was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers could see she’d been beaten, strangled and stabbed.

The killer had covered her head with a bin bag and the house had been scrubbed with bleach.

As the police cordoned off the crime scene, the news began to spread.

Vanessa was a well-liked teacher, a loving wife and a doting mother to her 1-year-old daughter.

Why had she been murdered in her own home?

A postmortem revealed Vanessa had a blunt-force injury to her head, sharpforce injuries to her neck, and asphyxiation.

Vanessa’s body also had chemical burns, after the murderer had tried to cover their tracks with bleach.

The police worked through the night, scouring the house for evidence.

And it became clear that

Good times for the couple?

had texted Vanessa. The prosecution alleged he was trying to create the appearance he had no idea Vanessa was lying dead.

Then the police found out Andrew had made another stop before he went home to the bloody scene.

His dealer’s home, where he spent $100 (around £80) on cocaine.

Andrew MacCormack insisted that the police and prosecution were wrong.

He wept in court as he re-lived the day that he’d found his wife dead.

Investigators noted they could find no speck of Vanessa’s DNA on him.

Public defence attorney John Hayes argued that his client could not have carried out the vicious attack.

He said Andrew had no wounds ‘consistent with a brutal assault against a healthy woman’ who worked out daily and who would have been ‘able to fight back’.

Andrew now admitted

to investigators he’d struggled with substance abuse, but claimed he’d been clean for six years.

And he denied having any ongoing marital issues.

But a drug dealer told investigators that Andrew MacCormack spent up to $500 a week (around £400) on drugs.

Further investigations showed that, not long before she died, Vanessa had told Andrew that he’d ‘ruined their lives’.

I hate you so much, Vanessa had texted. You’ve ruined our daughter’s life because she won’t have her parents together.

So now the jury had to decide.

Was Vanessa a victim of domestic violence, killed by a man who prioritised his drug habit over his wife and child?

Or was her tragic death at the hands of an unknown killer a mystery?

Guilty or not?

Turn to find out 17

WORDS: SASKIA MURPHY. PHOTOS: SUFFOLK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYÕS OFFICE, GETTY

Vanessa and Andrew’s buying a picture-perfect life wasn’t replacement. The new ring all it seemed... went missing, too. Andrew Two days later, Andrew pawned his own wedding MacCormack, 31, was ring for $120 (around £90). arrested and charged with Far from a loving Vanessa’s murder. newlywed, the prosecution Yet at Suffolk Superior said Andrew was a selfish Court in November 2019, he drug addict, willing to steal denied he was responsible from his wife and pawn for his wife’s death. sentimental jewellery in Sobbing in the dock, he order to fund his habit. looked every part the heartbroken widower.

No speck of DNA The prosecution painted The prosecution said he’d a different picture. They left Vanessa dead and taken told the court Andrew was their little girl out in the car hiding a drug addiction. for hours. He drove her to his And they presented friend’s house and completed evidence showing Vanessa some carpentry work. was tired of her husband’s On the way there, Andrew erratic behaviour.

In text messages Crying in court, a month before her with his attorney death, Vanessa told Andrew she wanted to sell their house and get a divorce.

Months earlier, Andrew had forged cheques from his wife’s bank account.

Then Vanessa’s wedding ring had vanished. She’d claimed on insurance,

Wife Vanessa: killed at home

A BIT FRUITY!

MacCormack: shock at verdict

WHATÕS

VERDICT?

PHOTOS: GETTY

O

GUILTY

n 18 November 2019, Andrew MacCormack, 31, was found guilty of the first-degree murder of his wife.

After the verdict was delivered, Vanessa’s heartbroken sister Angela told of the gaping hole left by her sister’s death.

She said that Vanessa’s three-yearold daughter asks her to drive her to heaven, so she can visit her mother, who ‘lives in the clouds’.

‘She will never laugh as hard as we did at Vanessa’s jokes and sense of humour,’ Angela said.

Soon after, Andrew MacCormack was sentenced to life

without parole, but even after the jury returned its verdict, he still protested his innocence.

‘There is someone out there getting away with murder,’ MacCormack insisted.

His lawyer told the court of Andrew MacCormack’s plans to appeal his conviction for murder.

Victim impact statement: Angela

5 a day is for wimp Had I taken my new diet too far?

B

Anne Jensen, 23

rushing my long, blonde hair, I felt a snag as another clump fell out.

‘It’s getting worse,’ I sighed.

It was summer 2016 and I was living in Brittany, France, where I was working as an au pair.

And although I loved the sunshine and French food, the busy lifestyle was playing havoc with my health.

My hair was falling out and I was tired all the time.

Not to mention all the weight I’d put on.

And then there was the acne blemishing my skin.

‘I don’t need to see a doctor,’ I told my friends.

See, I knew full well it was my diet of rich cheese and chocolate that was causing all these issues.

Usually, I ate really healthily, and had been

a vegetarian since age 12.

Only, in France, I’d been overindulging in bread and dairy products. Now, I needed inspiration to get back on track.

That’s when I came across YouTube videos and blogs about a raw-fruit diet.

The reviews were amazing.

It cleared up my skin...

No more hair problems...

Bloggers were raving about the benefits of eating only raw fruit and drinking juice.

I learned it was even possible to eat enough protein from plants.

But, I thought to myself, Am I taking my new regime too far?

‘Is it safe?’

I asked my dad Jan, a doctor.

But he said as long as I was very careful that I got the right vitamins and minerals, it would probably be fine.

So, from that moment on, I ate only raw, unprocessed fruit, and the occasional vegetable. And I drank only water, coconut water and fruit juices.

For breakfast, I’d have three cantaloupe melons or half a watermelon.

Lunch was a large

Within a few weeks, I was buzzing with energy

ASK ME ANYTHING Now Anne answers

all the questions you REALLY want to ask

Q

Don’t you feel hungry?

Q

Do you crave cooked meals?

A

ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE A MAJOR CHANGE OF DIET. WORDS: ANNA MATHESON, ERIN CARDIFF. PHOTOS: PA REAL LIFE

I feel amazing!

smoothie with seven bananas, raspberries, 10 dates and coconut water.

For dinner, I’d make a cucumber and lettuce salad, with a mango dressing and tomatoes.

Within a few weeks, I was buzzing with energy.

Waking up at 5am, I zoomed off for a 10km run. I hadn’t run that far in years!

Soon, my skin cleared up and my hair was long and glossy.

‘You’re glowing!’ friends and family commented.

In the summer of 2017, I left my job to travel the world. Discovering new fruits in different countries was amazing, like durian in Hawaii and jackfruit in the Philippines.

Along the way, I met Grant, then 22.

Grant was a fruitarian, too, and we bonded over our diet.

We settled down in Denmark in August 2018.

Filling our kitchen with fruit and veg bought in bulk.

We only ate seasonal produce, to try to reduce our carbon footprint.

Then, in May 2019,

I fell pregna I didn’t as doctor about take any sup because I felt healthy.

But after four months, I suffered bad morning sickness. And so, craving stodge, I added potatoes and pasta to my diet.

And in January, our beautiful daughter Elva was born, weighing 6lb 8oz.

A healthy bundle.

And as soon as it’s time for Elva to go on to solid food, I’ll be introducing her to a fruitarian diet, too.

It’s so important to be healthy but I want to help the environment, as well.

Now, I’m sharing my experiences as a fruitarian on YouTube and Instagram.

Some people are sceptical,

I’m not bananas... just a fruitarian

With Grant: I couldn't let this man-go!

about my experience.

I’m so thankful I discovered this colourful diet – even if it’s not a-peel-ing to everyone!

Never! In fact, it’s usually the opposite – because of the amount of fruit I have to eat to get me up to the recommended calorie intake, at first it was actually hard to eat that volume of food. I never feel hungry. And by making sure I eat a variety of different fruits, and a little veg, I get all the minerals and vitamins I need, too.

A

Even when I first started the diet, I didn’t have any cravings.

I used to love pasta and curries, but I didn’t miss it once. Things changed during my pregnancy as I needed to eat simple vegan meals to help with the nausea of morning sickness, but I’m hoping to get back to the fruitarian diet soon.

Q

What do you eat when you dine out?

A

It’s tough.

I know most restaurants won’t cater for me. But I’ll still go out with friends and family – I’ll just make sure to eat beforehand or bring some fruit and veg along with me if it’s possible.

Health

With my lovely in-laws Norman and Joyce

The advice you need

WORDS: EMMA ROSSITER

H

earing the story of how my in-laws met always left me misty-eyed.

My father-inlaw Norman, 83, often recounted the tale...

‘I met my wife Joyce while we worked together as scientists at the University of Liverpool,’ he said.

He vividly recalled their first date, a visit to the cathedral.

‘And the rest, as they say, is history,’ he finished.

But it wasn’t just this ‘love at first sight’ story that made me smile.

See, it proved Norman could still remember some things.

Despite having Alzheimer’s, he’d never forget the love of his life.

For as long as I’d known Norman and Joyce, they were inseparable.

Always jetting off to take photos. Going on birdwatching tours.

But in 2008, Joyce, then 72, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

We’d noticed her strange behaviour for years.

Often getting muddled or forgetting things at the shops.

At first, me and my husband Michael, 43, thought it was old age.

But as she became more forgetful, we began to worry.

So, we encouraged her to see a doctor. And she was formally diagnosed.

Michael and

Forget me not

PATIENT

Memories may fade but love never, ever does Marie Lucas, 48, Norwich

I helped out when we could and I organised for carers to come in and see her the rest of the time.

Gradually, as happens with Alzheimer’s patients, she forgot how to do a lot of things. She couldn’t wash or dress.

The saddest thing of all was when she stopped

My family and Norman: raising awareness

True-life

recognising Norman.

Several times, she’d even called the police.

‘There’s a strange man in my house,’ she’d fret.

She barely remembered Michael and me, let alone our son Samuel, who was born in March 2011.

Devastating.

Still, we arried on caring or her all day, very day.

Until in July 2016, when oyce passed away just shy f her 80th birthday.

We were all heartbroken, specially Norman.

And things only got worse when, in September 2016, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, too.

He moved in with us, so we could care for him. And,

CASEBOOK

just like Joyce, he gradually became more forgetful.

Recent events and conversations vanished from his memory.

Including the loss of Joyce.

He believed she’d died a long time ago.

All he spoke of was what he could remember.

Things from years ago, like their first date or his work as a scientist.

In August 2018, he moved into a care home.

Now we visit Norman as much as possible.

I work closely with Alzheimer’s Society to raise awareness.

As a nurse, I thought I knew what having Alzheimer’s was like.

But seeing my in-laws go through it has been harder than I could imagine.

‘There’s a strange man in my house!’ she’d fret

More info?

For more info and support, visit alzheimers.org.uk

Health news

WORDS: JENNY STALLARD. PHOTOS (POSED BY MODELS): GETTY. *SEXTECHGUIDE

Time for a make-up bag clear-out! Researchers at the School of Life and Health Sciences at Aston University, Birmingham, found we’re harbouring germs alongside our lippy and brushes. The highest level of potentially harmful bacteria was on blending sponges – 93% of those tested had never been cleaned.

Ditch the air freshener and bring some scented plants into the house.

Nectar Sleep’s expert Erin Berman says, ‘Studies have found the fragrances released by some potted plants such as lavender and jasmine are extremely beneficial for settling racing minds, producing better quality sleep and even increasing general well-being.’

WE PAY

CASH

Maybe she’s a Manchester lass

It’s a postcode lottery when it comes to exercise S eeing off the February blues with some fitness?

Then you may be interested to know that a new survey found we’re partial to different sports depending on where we live.

While Londoners are into

running, in Liverpool boxing is the sport of choice. Bristolians love bikes, while Mancunians are more likely to hit the gym.

The research, from charity-led initiative RED January, which aims to support mental health

alongside charity Mind, found the top four activities people turn to for improved mental well-being are cycling, running, gym workouts and yoga.

And the most popular activity for 2019 overall? Cycling!

Menopause and anxiety

F

eeling anxious is not the first symptom you might associate with menopause, but it’s high on the list, according to Anxiety UK. A whopping Midlife 85% of women worries believe their anxiety was triggered by the menopause, with 98% reporting feelings of anxiety during the menopause and perimenopause. And 61% have been offered antidepressants as a result, rather than non-medicinal

18%

solutions, such as therapy.

The research, in association with Kalms capsules, led Anxiety UK to call for better awareness among medical professionals when women present with anxiety.

That’s the percentage of men who own a sex toy, compared with 28% of women, according to a survey.* The poll of over 2,000 people across the UK found that only 18% of women have never owned a sex toy.

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

Dr Martin ASK

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

I’ve been here before!

Q

I sometimes get deja vu, where I feel I’ve been somewhere before or met someone before – even though I haven’t. Why does it happen?

Mina, Birmingham

A

We all experience deja vu from time to time, though no one’s quite sure why. One theory is that something about a new situation reminds you of something you’re already familiar with, and your brain makes a false connection, so you think you’re remembering a scene from your past.

It is more common in younger people, and usually happens less often as we grow older. Stress or tiredness can trigger it, and rarely it might be a side-effect of some drugs.

It’s usually a temporary and harmless sensation, but occasionally it can indicate a form of epilepsy called temporal lobe epilepsy, and if you’re experiencing regular deja vu, or other symptoms along with it, see your doctor.

Unsure of my illness I’ve had tummy aches for years and my GP’s diagnosed diverticular disease – what is it exactly?

Joan, Bathgate

Q A

Diverticular disease is common, and half of us have it by the age of 60. It affects your colon, the lower part of your bowel, which is a tube of muscle with an inner lining. At one or more places this inner lining pokes out through a weak point in the muscle tube to form a balloon called a diverticulum.

Diverticular disease might cause no symptoms at all, or can lead to bloating and pains on the

left side of your abdomen, especially after eating. If a diverticulum becomes infected, it is called diverticulitis, which needs

antibiotics. Treating diverticular disease usually means avoiding constipation, via diet, exercise and, sometimes, laxatives.

Smoking for a sex boost?

My boyfriend says a cigarette before sex increases his enjoyment and sensitivity, but I find the opposite! Am I weird?

Klara, Northallerton

Q A

No, he is! Feeling sharper and more aroused after a cigarette simply means that he’s addicted and needs a nicotine hit to restore him to normal.

You’re right that smoking usually

reduces sexual satisfaction. One reason is that nicotine reduces blood flow to the penis, causing possible erection difficulties, and also to your clitoris, which can impair your sensitivity.

In the long term, damage to blood vessels from chemicals in tobacco can make this reduction in blood flow permanent. Smoking can also counteract oestrogen, leading to a dry vagina.

One more reason to quit!

Can’t sleep after a takeaway I love a Chinese meal, but afterwards it means a sleepless night with a racing heart! Am I allergic to it?

Colette, south London

Q

used to enhance the flavour of Chinese food, is a likely culprit, and many sufferers find that their symptoms improve if they avoid it.

But studies haven’t shown a definite link with MSG and some Sounds like so-called Chinese people think that other spices or restaurant syndrome, which plants might be to blame. affects some people after Try avoiding MSG – and if you Chinese food, with symptoms still suffer, drink plenty of water, try including thirst, sickness, headache ginger tea, and combat a headache and a fast heartbeat. with paracetamol. See a doctor Monosodium glutamate (MSG, immediately if you experience also known as E621), which is often chest pain or breathing difficulty.

A 22

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

£375 cash!

OVER TO YOU

an you set a puzzle in this format? Send it, with a photo of yourself, to the address on p3. There’s £20 for every one we use!

C

This week’s puzzle was compiled by Bailey Mcguire, Grimsby

W5INx

£25 Puzzle 6

1

2

3

ACROSS 1 Send mail 2 Reflected sound 3 Poetic form of ‘you’ 4 Prophet

4

2

3

DOWN 1 Domestic animals 2 Darts term 3 Footwear 4 A journey

4

Your answer:

IN THE GRID

W

CHAIN WORDS

T

he sarabande is a dance – in which country did it originate?

Get from Start to Finish, making words by joining two boxes together as you go, eg: WAY + SIDE, SIDE +… you decide! When you reach Finish, two unused boxes join together to give you the prize answer.

Puzzle 7

WIN0 £10

PHOTOS: GETTY

Start

WAY

SIDE

SHOW

SPA

LAW

CASE

OR

SUIT

IN

ANGE

NA

VAL

LIC

HEN

VE

Your answer:

h Finis

hich dancer, whose first name begins with A, has said that he wanted to be Fred Astaire when he was growing up? Hidden in this grid, reading forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally, are ten items beginning with A, one for each of the subjects given below. Find them all and the remaining letters will spell out the three-word prize answer.

R E S I M O T A

A A Y N D E R O

T N A R U T D R

R N T R E A K A

I R O F C T E T

U O A O B H R L

M C V Y E B B A

T A A V I A R Y

SKINNY ONE

W

WIN

hat name is given to the fear of thunder and lightning? To Puzzle 9 find out, solve the puzzle… Add a letter anywhere in each of the boxed-off words to fit the clue, eg, Keen, sharp = CUTE + A = ACUTE. Write the added letter in the space provided. Read down the added letters to spell out the prize answer.

£50

CUTE

Keen, sharp

TAKE

Wager money

VIAL

Really necessary

CHIP

Sound of birds

TANG

Ballroom dance

SEAR

READ

Lance Combination of notes Diplomatic agent Bakery product

VOLE

Gauzy material

CORD ENVY

TINT

Pollute

Monastery Glass hall Large birdcage Seed of the Alligator pear oak tree Church table Curved structure Man-made relic Blood vessel Perfume spray Puzzle 8

WIN0 £10

Your answer:

Your answer:

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

23

PREYING ON THE INNOCENT

A fall from

I worshipped my twin brother – but he wasn’t as godly as he seemed Margaret Harrod, 63

WORDS: SUE SMETHURST, FRANCES LEATE. PHOTOS: SUE SMETHURST

I

watched as my mum Coral, 65, and dad Richard, 77, beamed proudly at my twin brother, Michael, then 31.

Making his way to the altar to be ordained as a priest, he was dressed in long, black robes and a clerical collar.

The picture of purity.

It was March 1987, and the lavish ceremony in our local church was a proud moment for all my family.

After the service, I gave my brother a big hug.

From the moment we were born, Michael and I were as thick as thieves.

Like many twins, we shared a deep connection.

We even had our own language – one nobody but us could understand.

From birth to our teens, we were inseparable.

At school, we sat side by side, had the same mates.

But Michael was always my best friend of all.

We shared a faith – and in our twenties, we both decided that we’d follow a spiritual path.

I became a nun, and Michael a priest.

But then, for the first time ever, we started to live separate lives.

Me in the convent, Michael teaching at a prestigious college.

He was quickly promoted to Deputy Principal and was popular among his students.

He’d buy them treats from the canteen and spend his lunchtimes with them

24

in the playground.

One day, Michael came home with a student in tow.

‘He wouldn’t get a holiday otherwise,’ Michael shrugged, explaining to Mum and Dad that the 11-year-old lad’s family were very poor.

‘That’s very generous of you,’ Mum smiled.

Only, as I watched Michael stroke the boy’s arm, I felt my stomach churn.

Something isn’t right...

But I pushed the thought to the back of my mind.

My brother’s just being kind and caring.

Isn’t he..?

Any thoughts of him having a sinister motive were soon forgotten.

By then, I’d left the convent and had married Rod, 34.

We went on to have our son Jason in 1988, and then our

daughter Nicola in 1989.

I’d see Michael during the school holidays, always with another one of his young students by his side.

That familiar, uneasy feeling would sometimes return, but I convinced myself that my mind was playing tricks on me.

But in July 2004, there was a bombshell.

Michael was on the front page of a newspaper.

The headline read Priest Faces Abuse Claim.

A former student of Michael’s had come forward with allegations of sexual assault.

It was like a lightning bolt through my heart, and I knew that Michael’s accuser was telling the truth.

Suddenly, my mind flashed back to all the times I’d seen Michael touch his students. He’d stroke their arm or put

My brother was just being kind and caring.

Wasn’t he..?

Our 21st birthday

We had a special bond

Dad and Mum: so proud of us

his hand on their leg.

I remembered one day, long in the past, when Michael and I were visiting a parish family together, and he encouraged their young daughter to sit on his knee.

He was directly opposite me and I could see him rubbing her belly.

At the time, I’d thought it was odd, but now the memory of it made me feel physically sick.

Shell-shocked, I confronted Michael.

‘Michael, I’m your sister and I love you, but I want to know what happened,’ I begged him.

I was praying this was all a terrible mistake, but he wouldn’t answer me.

He sat staring at the TV, stony-faced, in silence.

I vowed never to speak to Michael again after that.

And I knew I had to tell the Church what I

gra My brother turned into a monster

suspected about my brother.

So, in August 2004, with Rod by my side, I went to the Catholic Church’s Committee for Professional Standards and reported Michael to two priests.

That’s when I learned that Michael’s victim had complained to the Church years earlier.

He had received a confidentiality settlement and, shockingly, Michael had continued to work as a priest.

So, all this time, members of the Church had known.

The police were now investigating several allegations of indecent assault, and I gave them information for their case.

I was determined to help them to uncover the truth.

By now, our father had died but Mum refused to believe the allegations.

For years, I didn’t hear anything about Michael. I

missed my twin brother, but I just didn’t recognise the man he’d become.

But then, in August 2011, a friend phoned me.

‘Michael’s in jail,’ she said.

He’d pleaded guilty to multiple counts of indecent assault against a 12-yearold boy in 1983, and was sentenced to two years in prison, with a 15-month suspended sentence.

My heart was broken – my brother was a monster. How could he have done this?

In June 2016, my brother Michael Aulsebrook, 60, was found guilty of one count of rape and admitted sexually assaulting two other children.

At his trial, the jury heard he’d invited an 11-year-old boy into his office at the college to play on his computer. He then gave his victim a soft drink spiked with a sedative.

The boy woke up on the floor as Michael was raping him. Afterwards, Michael

told his victim to, ‘get out of my sight, you disgust me’.

Michael was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison.

And in October 2019, my brother, then 63, had his jail term increased, after pleading guilty to indecently assaulting another boy, then aged 11, at a camp away from the school in the mid-1980s.

Michael was the Camp Director and in charge of first-aid when the boy

suffered chafing while jumping on a trampoline.

He took the boy into a locked room and repeatedly sexually assaulted him.

Michael was ordered to serve a further 20 months in prison.

My brother was a vile predator. A paedophile.

I still find it impossible to understand how the monster in jail is the loving brother of my childhood.

I’ll forever carry the guilt of not speaking out sooner.

If I’d trusted my instincts and spoken up before, I may have spared other victims.

It haunts me every day.

I’ve since lost my faith in God, left the Catholic Church.

And my twin brother – who I once loved so much – is dead to me now.

IF YOU NEED HELP...

Me today

Visit nhs.uk/live-well/ sexual-health/help-afterrape-and-sexual-assault/

25

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CRIME

RINGLEADER JAILED

Stabbed while helping: Philip

I

MURDERED AT SCHOOL

O

n 8 December 1995, a head teacher was fatally stabbed outside his west London school.

Dad of four Philip Lawrence, 48, was attacked while protecting a pupil, 13, who was being assaulted outside St George’s Roman Catholic School, Maida Vale.

Medics battled to save Philip but he died in hospital.

Learco Chindamo, 15 at the time of the attack, was found guilty of murder and jailed for Jailed: Chindamo life, to serve at least 12 years.

Innocent bystander: Richard

1995

YEAR IN CRIMES

DEATH OF A MONSTER

T West never stood trial

WORDS: FRANCES LEATE. PHOTOS: GETTY, PA IMAGES, ALAMY

IT WAS THE YEAR THAT...

That interview

In November, Diana, Princess of Wales, spoke about adultery, depression and bulimia in an interview on the BBC Panorama programme. More than 22 million people watched.

DRUG-DEALER SHOOTINGS

Killed: Patrick Tate...

N

otorious serial killer Fred West was found dead, having killed himself in his cell at Winson Green Prison, Birmingham, on 1 January 1995.

He was 53.

He was due to stand trial for killing 12 women, including two of his daughters. That November, his wife Rosemary West was convicted of 10 murders and sentenced to life in prison.

To infinity and beyond

n November 1995, Badrul Miah was found guilty of conspiring to murder 15-year-old Richard Everitt.

Richard was attacked by a gang and stabbed with a kitchen knife in Camden, north London.

One of those responsible for Richard’s death, Miah boasted of ‘stabbing up a white boy’.

During the trial, the judge acknowledged that whoever had actually administered the fatal stab wound had not been brought to justice and that some of the gang had returned to Bangladesh.

Miah, 20, was given a life sentence, to serve a minimum of 12 years.

Anthony Tucker...

hree drug dealers were shot dead on 6 December 1995 as they sat in their Range Rover down a dirt track in the village of Rettendon, Essex.

Patrick Tate, Anthony Tucker and Craig Rolfe were gunned down with a pump-action shotgun.

Michael Steele and Jack Whomes were later convicted of the Toy Story became the first-ever completely computer animated film, hitting US cinemas in November.

It was the first feature film made

by Pixar.

...and Craig Rolfe

murders and sentenced to life imprisonment.

In 2000, Sean Bean starred in the film Essex Boys, based on the murders.

L-R: Steele and Whomes

Red devil

January brought a moment that shocked football fans. While playing for Manchester United, legendary French star Eric Cantona kung-fu kicked a spectator.

27

‘I won £5, on a qu igh PROMOTION

I treated the family to a shopping trip with my win Sara Bowler, 43, Norfolk

WORDS: ANNA MATHESON. PHOTOS (‘MAKE FRIENDS…’ POSED BY MODELS): GETTY

O

ne evening in January 2019, I switched on the TV but wasn’t interested in any of the shows that were on. Instead, I thought I’d log onto my Chat Mag Bingo app and play a few games.

I first joined Chat Mag Bingo over 12 years ago after I had first seen my ex-husband playing it.

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Usually, I’ll play a couple of times a week and do set myself a deposit limit and will stick to that each week.

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About four years ago, when I won £450, I put the money towards some extra surprise Christmas presents.

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showing on the wheel.

I clicked and spun the wheel – and then the screen on my phone changed.

‘I can’t believe it!’ I thought to myself as I saw the words ‘Congratulations!

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I decided to put away most of the money to do up the house in the future,

Mag Bingo a few times a week and make the most of the free daily games too.

You can play these if you’re a member and made at least one £10

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I’ve got three teenagers, so I thought it would be great for the family to go shopping together.

I bought some new winter boots and a fab green coat – I couldn’t wait to wear them.

The kids got a couple of jumpers and pairs of jeans too and they were made up.

I still play on Chat

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ARROW WORD

➨

Gentle in manner

➨

➨

Jessica - - -, actress

Young soldier Ink mark

One of five ➨ on a foot Cake ➨ ingredient

➨

➨

Hit hard Select few

➨

Gene code Tied match (inits)

➨

Thin leather strip

Sue - - -, comedienne ➨

➦

Craving

➨

➨

➨

➨

Trash can

Use a spade Wedding vow (1,2)

Holy table ➨

➨

➨

➨

Heavenly ➨ spirit Young boy

➨

➦

Deep respect Dissimilar to

Anxious Pond creature

Bleak, dreary

➨

Suffer Grow older

A Harbour boat ➨T U G - - - Valley, Increased Stinging US wine in size weed E region ➨

Skin disorder

➨

Label, name

➨

➨ ➦

➨

- - - up, bored

Darn

➨

Munch

Lettuce Shoddy goods

Scottish ‘ah’

➨

Family group

➥

Epoch

Agent

➨

➥

Part of a whistle

House entrance

➨

Rob Roy ➨ actor (3,4)

A

Edge of a dress

➥

➥

(We) exist ➨

Puzzle 10

lion holding a sword features on the flag of which country?

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.

Got up

➨

£1 0

Perched

➦

W, IN00

Badger’s lair

➨

Your answer:

SUDOKU To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Solve the puzzle and the numbers in the highlighted squares for the prize answer.

WIN

£60

PHOTO: GETTY

Puzzle 11

Your answer: 30

3 9

WORDSEARCH

1 2

9

6 2

7 6 5 4 6 3 3 6 2 4 8 1 5 1 7 4 2 1 6 7 3

WIN

£50 Puzzle 12

A

n eagle had to be rescued at a fish farm after it got locked in battle with what?

The answer is the one missing from the grid.

CLAM CRAB DOLPHIN EEL KRILL

L A E S T C K M S

P B N T Q R D A C

U O Q I I U E L A

E S R L H E I C L

MANATEE OCTOPUS PORPOISE SCALLOP SEAL

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

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H E N N B I E O P

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31

SO ROMANTIC

LITTLE ONE M

ilton Keynes council reported it had run out of traffic-light bulbs in which colour?

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

1

R

2

3

4

5

6 7 8

ACROSS 1 Film company (inits)(3) 3 ... Paulo, Brazilian city (3) 5 Cheerful, jaunty (5) 7 View, look at (3) 8 Fresh, unused (3) DOWN 1 ... West, film star (3) 2 Prickly bush (5) 3 Watch secretly (3) 4 Cereal crop (3) 6 London gardens (3)

WIN

£50 Puzzle 13

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

,00 rom

Gorgeous Tom made me weak at the knees

epeatedly swiping on my phone, I let out a sigh.

It was March 2017 and I was on the penultimate ht of my 11-day work to London. aving ticked off the rist hotspots, I’d clicked dating app Bumble. ee, back home in Los geles, I was something serial dater. umble, Hinge, Tinder, ed all the apps. ften, I’d clock up to two es a week. t home, I was looking for e. But in London, I just nted a few casual drinks. s I continued to scroll ough the city’s gletons, one profile ght my eye. om, 29, doctor, it read.

With a flick to the right, as a match. n no time at all, we’d anged where and when meet.

Walking into the bar that ht, I wasn’t nervous. was a pro at this! ut when I saw Tom, his k hair and brown eyes, ssed in a checked jacket, heart raced. e looked even better n his photos.

Hi, I’m Alyssa,’ I said, ing a seat beside him.

What would you like to ink, Alyssa?’ he smiled.

If his good looks hadn’t ready made me weak the knees, his British

00mile m erfe

One of our first photos together

He proposed on Hampstead Heath

I’d met my Mr Right, but there was just one problem...

Alyssa Tantillo, 29, north London on opposite sides of the world,’ I sobbed to Mum on the phone one evening.

‘Just go for it, Alyssa,’ she urged me. ‘Live in the moment!’

So that very night, my last in London, I told Tom that I loved him.

He grasped my hand, but there was a sad look on his face. We both knew we were in for a slog.

Yet we were determined to make it work.

Despite the eight-hour time difference, we were in touch with FaceTime calls and texts throughout the day.

It was tough when I went out with friends and their partners.

I felt like I was missing out on all those things new couples do.

Going for dinner, out for drinks, watching movies together on the sofa...

But once a month, one of us would take the 10-hour flight to meet up.

It was exhausting, not to mention expensive, but it was worth it to see Tom. On a trip to London in August 2018, Tom took me to

That last night in London, I told Tom I loved him

Married!

Parliament Hill Hampstead Hea Taking in the views of the city, I spun round to find Tom down on one knee.

‘Will you marry me?’ he asked.

‘Yes!’ I cried, jumping into his arms.

This was the beginning of the rest of our lives together.

But as Tom didn’t have the right qualifications to p medicine in America, I had to give up my work, family and friends and start a new life in the UK. We had to submit more than 300 documents to secure our marriage visa.

But after three stressful months, in December 2018, the visa was approved.

By January 2019, we’d settled into our new home

in Canonbury, London.

Four months later, we tied the knot in a small ceremony at Islington Town Hall.

All those tears, lonely nights, long flights and sacrifices became worth it.

I still can’t believe I met my husband by pure fluke.

It just goes to show that love really does know no boundaries.

33

WORDS: FIONA KINLOCH, ERIN CARDIFF. PHOTO

accent certainly did.

Chatting away about friends and family, my work in software sales, his work as a doctor, it was a magical first date.

Surely no one is this perfect? I thought.

I wondered what he was hiding.

But meeting him again the following night, it was clear Tom was the real deal.

I was amazed how quickly I was falling for him.

As we kissed goodbye, I knew this couldn’t just be a holiday fling.

But I felt nervous about the situation.

I lived 5,000 miles away, for heaven’s sake!

Although we’d only known each other for 24 hours, Tom asked me to come back and stay with him for a week in June.

‘Of course!’ I beamed.

The distance between us melted away over long phone calls and sweet text exchanges.

And in June, I travelled back to London.

Meeting Tom’s friends and family, we went on day trips together to Cambridge.

‘It’s so hard when we live

£200 cash!

FILL ME IN

Engrave with acid

TV celebrity

Product of fire

Ring up

Grotto

Elementary

Contested

Little __, Dickens heroine

Sacred beetle

Line of a circle

Swiss coin

Turkish meat dish

Baby bear

__ Bacon, US actor

And so on (abbr)

Employ again

Freeze over

Criticises

N I W £100 Puzzle 14

Lab vessel (4,4)

Unbroken

Take to court

Excess

Topical

Attach

Light shoe

Milan’s country

Almond or pecan, eg

Sandhill

Farreaching

Female swan

W

hat’s a word that means to manage a situation or problem? 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.

Dependable

Signal, hint

Glitterati (3,3)

Weave wool on needles

Barks sharply Jamie __ Curtis, actress

Your answer:

W

PHOTO: GETTY

Your answer: 34

Bobcat

CIRCLE TIME

hat word can refer both to a red gemstone and a cluster of boils?

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

3 letters ASS

4 letters ACER AFAR CALF CRIB FIBS RANI

Home county

5 letters AURAS CEDAR CENTS CHAFF DRAMA JULEP LEAVE

6 letters BUMBLE RESETS 7 letters PERVADE

8 letters ARBOREAL CAROUSAL RESEMBLE TALENTED

IN W £100 Puzzle 15

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

Aunty Nelly ASK

tells it how it is

Jealous of his daughter

3 steps to...

Dealing with moody teenagers

Q

I live with my partner of five years and his 17-year-old daughter.

She’s a nice girl, but is very quiet. Her mum passed away, and she only comes out of her room when her dad’s home. Then she’s all over him, and I feel left out.

I don’t want it to affect my relationship but she gets jealous when we’re affectionate towards each other. Am I being over the top?

Lyndsey, 31

A

You’re absolutely being over the top! She’s 17, has lost her mum and misses

1 her madly. Her only connection with her is her dad. So what if she wants to spend time with him? He is her safe haven.

If you’re holding onto jealousy,

how do you expect her to want to spend time with you?

Sorry, but it seems to me like you’re the stroppy teenager here!

Dirty habit

A

My boyfriend smokes weed. He says he doesn’t smoke it a lot but I can always smell it on him.

We used to smoke together but I stopped when I got pregnant. We have a ninemonth-old daughter and I’d love my fella to stop, too.

I’ve told him he needs to grow up but he just doesn’t seem to understand my feelings towards it. How can I make him stop?

Dani, 24

Q

Wow! First off, possessing marijuana is illegal, so your boyfriend is putting your child at risk. Social Services could get involved. Does he understand that?

You also chose to have a child with someone who smokes weed, and you smoked together.

Did you talk about him giving it up beforehand?

Your daughter’s welfare is what matters. Give him a deadline – tell him to sort it out or you’re done.

If he chooses drugs over his family, he doesn’t deserve one.

Think back. Remember what it was like – the hormones, the changing body, the need to fit in with friends. Bless them, it can be a confusing time. Your child needs stability, support, patience and understanding.

2

Set clear boundaries.

Involve your child in developing rules.

It’ll help them become independent. Set and use consequences for poor behaviour, but make your list of rules and consequences as short as possible.

3

Spend time together.

Make yourself available to talk. Offer to give them a lift and use the time to chat. While you should allow your child space to develop their own interests without feeling smothered, some common ground can make everyday conversation easier.

My girl lives in a pigsty!

Q

My daughter’s house is filthy, and every so often I clean it top to bottom for her. It’s embarrassing – we live on the same street and I’m known for being house-proud.

She doesn’t open her curtains, never mind the windows!

My two granddaughters look like they’ve been in a skip.

She doesn’t work, so has lots of free time. How can I make her be more like me?

Esther, 66

A

Why should your daughter clean her house when you do it for her? That’s where you’ve gone wrong.

Put yourself in her shoes.

Is she struggling with anxiety or depression? And why isn’t she working?

Remember, not everyone has the same standards as Hyacinth Bucket. Sit down and talk to her. Tell her you’re worried, happy to help, but aren’t going to be her cleaner.

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

er’s mar Our boy will always be with us

had happened.

But his face aid it all.

‘He’s gone,’ said.

No!’ I screamed. nning to a nurse, ed for answers. e’s my son? ee my son,’

Edward and Edgar are so like their brother

was the sirens blaring as we hung up.

Calling Stephen, I told him to go straight to the hospital. Then, in a haze of confusion and fear, I told my colleagues I had to leave.

When they asked why, I whimpered just two words...

‘Ralph’s dead...’

But even saying it out loud didn’t make it feel real.

I refused to believe it.

A colleague dropped me off at A&E, where I was taken to a room to wait.

The childminder was there and I asked him what

ed me to a room phen and the doctors were waiting.

There, doctors explained how paramedics had tried to save Ralph’s life.

They’d done CPR, given him injections. But there was nothing they could do.

Ralph had died as a result of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), also known as cot death.

A million questions circled my mind.

Could I have stopped this?

Was there a sign, a symptom I should have seen?

But I was reassured that no one had done anything wrong. None of us could

His tiny socks in the wash basket, toys in his room...

have stopped this.

Not me, not Stephen, not the childminders.

‘It’s not your fault,’ I cried to them. Knew that they were devastated.

But the heartbreak Stephen and I suffered was crushing.

Going home without Ralph was unbearable.

His tiny socks still in the wash basket, his toys in his room, pyjamas in his cot.

Stephen and I cried and cried, couldn’t believe this was happening to us. It was even more surreal when we buried our beautiful boy two weeks later.

Somehow, we muddled on through our intense grief.

We knew a part of Ralph would always be with us.

And as if it was a gift from our boy to help us through our grief,

I discovered I was pregnant again in November 2015.

I felt a mix of emotions.

‘Ralph is irreplaceable,’ Stephen and I agreed.

But we had to be thankful for the time we’d had with him, to miss him dearly but to move on.

In July 2016, Edward was born. And in May 2018, we had Edgar.

I see parts of Ralph in both my boys.

Of course, there have been times when it’s hard.

When Edward, now 3, started nursery, little Ralph should have been starting school.

No matter what, I’ll always be a mother of three.

And I’m telling my story to spread awareness about SIDS. That’s Ralph’s legacy, and I’ll never let him be forgotten.

200 BABIES A YEAR...

SIDS, also known as cot death, is the sudden, unexpected and unexplained death of an apparently healthy baby.

In the UK, more than 200 babies die from SIDS every year.

According to the Lullaby Trust, around 88% of SIDS deaths happen when a baby is 6 months old or less.

For more info and advice, visit lullabytrust.org.uk

37

£600 cash!

N I W K £500

CODE CRACKER

aren Gillan has revealed that when she was trying to break into acting, she failed to get cast in what show? out, solve the puzzle...

Puzzle 16 FillToinfind the grid. Each letter of the alphabet has been replaced by a number from 1 to 26. When you’ve completed the grid, the shaded squares will spell out the two-word prize answer. We’ve given you five letters to start you off.

A B C G H J K L M Y Z N O P Q R S T U V W 18

17

11

14 4

F

11

17 25

16

15

I

5

13

14

X

E

17

6

17

23

23

18

14

22

PHOTO: GETTY

38

22

14

6

14

17

6

25

19

23

10

19

2

12

25

8

12

3

1

2

3

4

14

15

16

17

E X

25

18 18

6

16 1

23

6

9

F

17 18

2

14 14

6

26

23

18

18

14

5

8

12

23

5

12

24

23

23

19

9

8

25

19 7

14

16

5

14

12

19

15 14

14

4

16

23

5

17

18

24

22

12

7

21

18

24

16

2

24

23 19

18

16

9 22

17

25

14

14

17

1 RE CUSP 2 CARL H 3 RACED 4 NORAH MBE 5 ANTRIM AD 6 BY NAAN

Your answer:

2

9

4

17

Puzzle 17

8

23

14

6

specimen of what type of tree in the Somerset village of Backwell is noted for producing two different colours of blossom in the spring?

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

IN W £100

23

5 12

1 S 2 L C 3 H 4 5 T B 6

26

D

3

21

3

22

A

17

18

5

WORD JUMBLE

6

17

9

Your answer:

12

14

5

23 18

18

20

17

23

16

16

16

14

17

5

6

7

8

18

19

20

21

D

25

16

19

21

9 7

16

25

21

7

14 8

14

8

18

12

9

10

11

12

13

22

23

24

25

26

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

I

TUBBY HUBBY

Not th man I marrie

Was there any way back for my husband and me?

H

urrying the kids upstairs, I turned to my husband Darren, then 46.

As usual, he was sitting slumped in the armchair.

Staring at the TV like a zombie, he had a glass of wine in one hand, a pack of sausage rolls in the other.

‘Are you coming?’ I asked him hopefully.

‘Later,’ he said to me, barely looking away from the screen.

It was March 2015, and as I bathed our son Ieuan, then 6, and daughter Sophia, 3, my heart felt heavy.

The truth was, my husband just wasn’t the man I married.

I remembered

how, just a year ago, Darren would wrestle with the kids until they were both crying with laughter.

‘It’s bedtime!’ I’d groan as they giggled, clinging to Darren.

Now, he spent all evening in front of the TV, eating and drinking.

I’d have given anything to have the old Darren back.

When we first met, more than 20 years ago, we’d go to karaoke competitions in the pub. He’d always have to win first prize.

Darren had worked as a personal trainer and thrived on exercise.

He competed in marathons, could run them in under four hours.

But, a year ago, disaster struck.

While competing in an Ironman Triathlon, Darren ruptured a ligament in his left ankle.

I’ll never forget his pained face as the kids and I cheered him through the finish line.

‘Complete rest,’ a doctor warned the Darren put next day at Nevill on weight after his injury Hall Hospital, Abergavenny.

Darren spent the

next six months at home, with his foot in a cast.

‘I’m useless,’ he frowned.

He seemed to be spiralling into a depression.

He was drinking up to three bottles of wine a night and gorging on junk.

A year after the accident, he was a size XXL and weighed 18st.

He still hadn’t gone back to work, was living on savings.

‘How can I train other people like this?’ he groaned, devastated.

As months passed, his mood deteriorated.

‘I want to get in the car and not come back,’ Darren said to me one night.

I’d go to work as a financial adviser, terrified that he wouldn’t be there

when I came home again.

Darren was so full of self-loathing, he refused to go swimming with the kids.

‘No-one wants to see my disgusting body!’ he cried.

I felt like a single mum, attending family gatherings and the kids’ school plays alone.

I’d started to give up hope that the old Darren would ever come back to me.

Then, one day in 2018, he couldn’t stop crying.

‘I need help,’ he wept.

He’d hit rock bottom.

Was there any way back..?

He seemed to be spiralling into depression

WORDS: FRANCES LEATE, LUCY NOTARANTONIO. PHOTOS: CATERS NEWS

Sarah Jones, 44, Cwmbran

You should SEE HIM NOW 39

A NEW MAN Continued from previous page

From da bod to G

A

fter doing some research, we got in touch with the mental-health charity Mind.

‘They’re offering therapy,’ I said to Darren.

Darren knew he needed help and wanted to try it.

And talking to someone really did seem to help him.

He also went out for walks during the day.

Slowly, his mood seemed to lift. He started picking the kids up from school, and cooking healthy meals in the evenings.

‘No more of this,’ he said a few weeks later, emptying a bottle of wine into the kitchen sink.

As Darren slowly but surely started making progress, his 50th birthday was approaching.

‘You deserve to do something special,’ I said.

He’d always wanted to skydive but we discovered that he couldn’t weigh any

40

more than 15st to do so.

‘Challenge accepted,’ he grinned, his eyes sparkling with that old determination.

Over the next months, Darren transformed his diet.

Instead of eating chocolate and crisps, he cut out snacks completely.

He ate plenty of protein, chicken and vegetables, and even went back to the gym.

By April 2019, a few months after his birthday, he’d managed to slim down to 15st.

‘You look gorgeous!’ I told him, impressed.

He not only looked like the old Darren, but he acted like him, too.

Every evening, he’d play-fight with the kids like he’d done before. He’d help me with bedtime, as well.

‘Daddy’s back!’ Sophia squealed delightedly as they played.

Days later, the kids and I watched proudly as Darren jumped from a plane at 12,000ft.

Running up to us afterwards, his face was glowing. He Now... So happy, with the looked so alive.

‘That was just kids and me brilliant!’ he cried,

Darren: I’m a lucky woman!

picking up the kids for a hug.

And, after that, Darren decided he’d enter the UK Ultimate Physiques competition. It was a contest all about muscle definition and fitness.

So he stepped up his training at the gym.

‘Lucky me!’

I grinned as Darren whipped off his T-shirt one night.

He was so fit!

Last October, Darren took to the stage and flexed his muscles for the judges – and came sixth.

I was so proud!

Darren weighs 12st 2lb now and is a size Medium.

He looks incredible, but best of all, he’s so confident and positive.

He’s the most amazing husband and father.

As a personal trainer, he’s more motivated

than ever. In the future, he hopes to hold free boot camps for people who are suffering with their mental health.

Now, we’re sharing Darren’s story in the hope of breaking the silence surrounding men’s mental health. We want to inspire others to get help if they need it.

There’s absolutely no shame in admitting that you’re struggling.

I’m so glad Darren did.

Because the real transformation in him is not his body.

Yes, my hubby ’s hot now. But it means so much more that he’s happy.

He’s the most amazing husband and father

NEED HELP? For support dealing with mental-health issues, contact the Mind Infoline on 0300 123 3393.

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COMPILED BY: REBECCA GAMBLE. PHOTOS (POSED BY MODELS): GETTY. *FIGURES FROM LIFTSHARE.COM

1

Have you heard?

Do your research

It is essential that you take the time to shop around using different comparison sites.

But first, try to work out what you actually need.

When it comes to choosing a new deal, there’s no point paying for generous call or data allowances if you’re not going to make full use of them.

Free specialist

More than half of over-65s have money stashed away to support adult children through financial trouble, a survey by Saga Savings has found. The average amount the age group has put aside to help out in case of emergency stands at £11,500. The study also found that 49% of those surveyed said they dip into their savings at least once or twice a year to help adult children, up from 34% in a 2012 survey.

Did you know?

Women are twice as likely to be concerned about meeting living costs than men, says Close Brothers’ Financial Wellbeing Index. It surveyed 5,000 employees and found that while 26% of women worried about making their money last, only 13% of their male co-workers were worried about it. online tools such as Billmonitor (billmonitor.com) will take a look at your bills and suggest the best deals for you based on your current usage.

2

Wait it out

3

Haggle!

SAVING

OF THE WEEK

Once your contract ends, if you’re happy with your current handset, you could save a bundle if you stick with it and get a SIM-only plan instead.

Days out offer

Legoland Windsor is opening for February half term for the first time! ‘Brick Week’ will run from 15-23 February 2020. Tickets cost £20pp when booked online in advance. While there will be some extra activities, as it’s a special event, only selected rides will be available. Find out more at legoland.co.uk/ brick-week-2020/.

Once you know exactly what you want, and you’ve shopped around for the cheapest deal, give your current provider a call and start haggling. Tell them that you have found a cheaper price elsewhere and see what they will offer. Good luck!

Don’t heat unused roo If you have a spare bedroom that is rarely used, turn its radiator down to the lowest setting without turning it off completely. Fitting reflective foil behind radiators on external walls will also help to reduce the rate of heat loss in these rooms.

TOP TIP

e could A car-sharing schem s. halve your fuel cost mute Sharing a daily com can save you £1,000 a year*.

41

NO-FUSS FOOD Top tip For a flavour twist, try using pork and apple sausages

Valentine’s Day dinner for under £10 Bucatini and meatballs SERVES 2 PREP 10 MINS, PLUS CHILLING COOK 20 MINS

200g free-range pork sausages ● ½ small onion, finely chopped ● 1tbsp olive oil ● ½ garlic clove, crushed ● ¼ fresh or dried chilli, finely chopped ● Handful of large basil leaves ● 200g tinned plum tomatoes ●

1tbsp tomato puree ● ½tbsp dried oregano ● ½tbsp balsamic vinegar ● 150g bucatini ● 20g Parmesan, grated ●

1

Squeeze the meat from the sausages into a bowl and add 1tbsp of the chopped onion.

Season well and combine thoroughly. Form the mixture into 6-8 equal-sized meatballs,

then place in the fridge for 20-30 mins.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the remaining onion for 5-7 mins, until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic and chilli, cook until coloured, then add the basil leaves.

Tip in the plum tomatoes, puree, oregano and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a simmer and cook for another few minutes.

2 3

Nothi ng sa ‘ I l quite ove you ys like a ’ d home eliciou made s meal

4

ry t e meatba s on a medium-high heat until coloured and cooked through.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to packet instructions, then drain and return the pasta to the pan. Add half the sauce and stir.

Divide the pasta between two plates with the meatballs and remaining sauce on top, plus a generous grating of Parmesan.

5

Ultimate garlic bread SERVES 2 PREP 5 MINS COOK 15 MINS 1 small baguette loaf ● 30g softened butter ● 1 garlic clove, crushed ● 20g grated Parmesan ● 25g pitted green olives, chopped ● 1 sprig each of rosemary, sage, parsley and basil ●

1

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6.

Make 3-4 incisions, about 2cm apart, into the baguette, making sure not to cut all the way through.

2

Mix the softened butter, crushed garlic and Parmesan together until fully combined, and season well with salt and pepper. Mix through the chopped olives.

Spread the butter mixture between each incision.

Place on a large sheet of foil and fill the incisions with herb sprigs. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle over some more salt and pepper, then seal well in foil.

Bake in the oven for 10-15 mins or until golden and crispy.

3

Top tip If you’d prefer, try making this using a ready-made plain pizza base for a cheesy garlic ‘flatbread’ instead. Simply smother over the garlic mixture and bake according to pack instructions

Top tip If you like, swap the Nutella for 1tsp drained, finely chopped stem ginger

Microwave chocolate pots SERVES: 2 PREP 5 MINS COOK 1 MIN 2tbsp plain flour ● 2tbsp caster sugar ● 1tbsp cocoa powder, plus ½tsp to dust ● pinch of salt ● ½ beaten egg ● 1tbsp vegetable oil ● 2tbsp milk ● 2tsp Nutella (or other chocolate and hazelnut spread) ● 2 strawberries, to serve ● 2 ramekins ●

TO Irresistible Sparkling Rosé, £8, Co-op Crisp, delicate and refreshing, this pink fizz is made by a prosecco producer but must be called sparkling wine as it’s pink.

1st

1

Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa and salt in a bowl. Add the egg, oil and milk, and mix well.

Place a large spoonful of the mixture in each ramekin, then place 1tsp of Nutella in the centre of each. Spoon over the remaining mixture and microwave on high power for 45 seconds to 1 minute – it’s ready when it stops rising. Dust with the remaining cocoa powder and top with a strawberry to serve.

2

D AND T

TINE’S F

est Cremant De Limoux rkling, £12, Tesco sh and fruity, this is cious paired with food, salads and serts too. It’s made with pes specially selected m the Languedoc vineyard nce and is exceptionally g

ado Brut, £5.49, Lidl sh sparkling ade the same ampagne ellent value r £5. It’s good with y desserts, so it’s a perf his time of year.

2nd

3rd

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

DON’T MISS

Endeavour ITV A new decade dawns when the Inspector Morse prequel returns for a new three-part series. It’s New Year’s Eve 1969, and normal service has been resumed at Castle Gate CID with DS Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) and the team working together again, just like the old days. In the opening episode, Morse and co investigate when a body is found on a canal towpath, and their only clue is a witness heard whistling on the night of the crime. Roger Allam is also back as DCI Fred Thursday.

Together again: Morse and Thursday

The Pale Horse

T ’ N O D SS MI

BBC1 This Agatha Christie mystery stars Rufus Sewell as Mark Easterbrook, an historian who tries to unravel the mystery surrounding a list of names that’s been found in a dead woman’s shoe. Has it got anything to do with a trio women who are rumoured to be witches? Rita Tushingham, and Sean Pertwee also star.

Rio and Kate face a challenge

My Left Nut

WORDS: MICHAEL DARLING

Rio and Kate: Becoming A Step Family BBC1 The 2017 documentary Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum and Dad followed the former footballer, as he came to terms with losing his wife Rebecca to cancer and dealt with the effects it had on him

44

and his kids, Lorenz, Tate and Tia. This one-off looks at a new chapter for the Ferdinand family in the run-up to Rio’s wedding to Kate Wright, as the former TOWIE star prepares to be stepmum to three grieving children.

Will Mick confide in Patricia?

Rufus investigates…

BBC3 A coming-of-age comedy drama – schoolboy Mick (Nathan QuinnO’Rawe) is dealing with the death of his dad, while coping with a hugely swollen testicle he can’t tell anyone about.

Deep Water’s Sinead Keenan plays Mick’s mum Patricia.

6-12 February

Soap world

Your STARS

Coronation Street Bethany exposes sex pest Ray

Chat astrologer Sally Morgan reads your week ahead

Libra

Now’s the right time for booking and planning that special holiday in the sun. And heat permeates a relationship, as you enjoy what someone has to offer.

A potential lover will get around to demonstrating their intentions soon, as their emotions for you become more apparent.

It’s a good time to impress.

● Call 0905 817 0690* for more

● Call 0905 817 0696* for more

Taurus

Scorpio

Your creativity will come out over the days ahead as your imagination will be free-flowing, bringing you the inspiration to start something very successful.

You’re likely to make great headway in business matters and affairs this week. Consistency and effort will ensure progress with a new project.

● Call 0905 817 0691* for more

● Call 0905 817 0697* for more

Gemini

Sagittarius

Acting on impulse leads you to surprise a lover or someone to whom you’re attracted. Letting a partner know that you care will have positive results.

Dealing with one task at a time right now will put everything into perspective.

Having goals in place will give you a purpose and help you feel satisfied.

● Call 0905 817 0692* for more

● Call 0905 817 0698* for more

Cancer

Capricorn

Be sure that you play your cards right, as your search for something new will come up trumps.

Job opportunities will prove worthwhile.

Diverting your attention to others in the coming days may be required. Keeping or booking an appointment brings the answers you’ve been hoping to hear.

● Call 0905 817 0693* for more

● Call 0905 817 0699* for more

Leo

Aquarius

A new relationship with a certain someone with whom you’ve been flirting lately will blossom. An adventure is likely to bring happiness into your life.

Moving home or from a difficult situation brings settlement to your week.

Family ties, money and property matters will finally be resolved.

● Call 0905 817 0694* for more

● Call 0905 817 0700* for more

Virgo

Pisces

A nostalgic week for you, Virgo, and time to set up a get-together for friends or family. Loved ones will want to share thoughts and feelings about the past.

There’s no point in working until you drop – take some time out to have a little fun. A situation develops that leads you to discuss important issues.

● Call 0905 817 0695* for more

● Call 0905 817 0701* for more

21 March-20 April Ray is outed

by Bethany

EastEnders Who’s watching Callum?

Callum prepares for his assessment to see if he can join the police force, unaware he’s being watched. But later, he gets a big shock when the person who’s been watching him turns up at his door. Who could it be? Plus, Whitney finds herself in danger when she comes face to face with Leo…

Aries

21 April-21 May

Callum gets a big shock

22 May-21 June

Emmerdale Vanessa’skillerface-off!

22 June-23 July Pierce takes Vanessa’s boy

Hollyoaks Tony’sontheroadtorecovery Tony struggles to adjust after being held captive by serial killer Breda for months. Now he takes a big step towards recovery, which leaves Diane worried – but why?

Plus, Damon tries to stop Liberty thinking about Sienna and Brody, and Celeste continues to toy with Romeo under Toby’s nose.

Tony has Diane worried

PHOTOS: MAMMOTH SCREEN 2019/BEN BLACKALL, ITV, BBC, LIMEPICTURES

Innocent Marlon’s in prison, and no one has any idea Pierce is the re culprit or that he’s in the g Vanessa’s horrified when Rhona’s abusive ex appears with her son Johnny, and then runs off with him. What’s Pierce planning to do with the boy? Can she stop him?

24 July-23 Aug

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.

He tried it on with Michelle and now Ray’s eyeing Alya. Learning of his history of harassment and hoping to expose him, Bethany puts evidence of his pervy past in an online article. What will Abi make of the allegations about her fella?

LOVE IS BLIND Meet Clanger and Moomin

Naked piggies

F

Leanne Tarry, 29, Borehamwood

rom the biggest beasts in the zoo to the tiniest creepy crawlies, I’d always been an animal lover.

And I was especially drawn to the ‘ugly’ animals – the ones left behind in the rescue centre.

But no regular pet for me. What I’d always really wanted was a skinny pig.

They’re just like guinea pigs, minus the f Th

finally came.

I’d been reading online that the RSPCA had just rescued 10 skinny pigs.

Turned out their previous owner had been struggling to cope, decided to put them up for adoption.

‘I’d like to adopt two skinny pigs,’ I told the RSPCA operator over the phone colour t a

, n, e

A pet’s not just for Halloween!

Beast bea Pets with looks tha

The ugly sis

W

Faye Sewell, London

aiting by the phone for hours, I was constantly refreshing my email inbox.

Will I be the one?

The one to bring brother and sister Maia and Mosi, then 7 months, back home.

Furless sphinx cats Maia and Mosi weren’t like your usual domestic mogs.

They’d had a rough start in life – born with only one functional eye, cat flu and also heart murmurs – they’d needed extra care, so were brought to the RSPCA in July 2019.

For several months, they’d been under the care of the veterinary eam at Putney nimal Hospital.

But despite all eir problems, their eeky personalities one through.

When I met them he Wimbledon,

Wandswor centre, I’d One wor they liked be kept wa ‘Just like They may fluffy coats, each, but the Only, I wa who’d fallen little minxes ‘There are a lot of people interested.

At this rate

Mai expl

YOU LITTLE BEAUTY

LOOK GREAT TODAY

Your questions answered, plus our pick of the products

Q

How can I make my blow-dry look bouncier and last all day?

Pauline Taylor, 69, Hampshire

LETTEeR of th ! ek

A

Swap your normal shampoo for a volumising formula. Try Pantene Pro-V Miracles Grow Strong Shampoo and Conditioner, £5 each; both contain biotin and bamboo to strengthen hair and reduce loss.

After washing, use a thickening mousse, such as Living Proof Full Thickening Mousse, £10. Work a golf ball-sized amount into your roots and blow-dry your hair upside down. It will transform limp, flat locks and doesn’t leave behind any sticky residue.

COMPILED BY: FIONA MCKIM. PHOTO: GETTY

TRIED AND TESTED Revlon Super Lustrous The Luscious Mattes, £8.99, Boots For a pop of colour that won’t budge throughout the day, give these new lippies a try. They come in nine classic shades and are infused with a cocktail of hydrating goodness, including moringa oil and agave, which helps keep lips buttery soft.

48

3 OF THE BEST NIGHT CREAMS Sophie Cullen, Contributing Beauty Editor, shares her favourites CeraVe Facial Moisturising Lotion, £11.99 If you’ve sensitive skin prone to irritation, you might want to try this. The cream is lightweight and won’t leave your skin feeling oily.

It works to combat those major skin gripes, like fine lines, redness and dull-looking skin.

Palmer’s Moisture Rich Night Cream, £9.55 Infused with retinol and vitamin E to help smooth and promote younger- looking skin. Our top tip? Use as an overnight mask by applying a thick layer before bed for maximum hydration.

BEST BUY!

Yes to Tomatoes Yin & Yang Detoxifying & Hydrating Black & White Charcoal Paper Mask, £2.99 The ultimate detox to draw out mpurities and help hydrate dry and sensitive skin.

Pop on for 10 mins and say hello to a bright complexion.

Lumene Arctic Hydra Care Moisture & Relief Rich Hand Cream, £7.90, John Lewis Nordic bilberry, oat and canola oils make up this nourishing hand cream. Designed to intensely hydrate, making it the perfect winter companion.

Nspa Expert DailyRejuvenate Cream, £10 This deeply nourishing cream improves skin firmness and reduces wrinkles, thanks to the anti-ageing actives of millet seed extract and Crocus chrysanthus bulb.

These promise to reveal a radiant, smoother, firmer complexion.

TOP TIP

For an instan t a highlighter eye lift, use just arch of your b above the row blend. It will d s and efin your eyebrow e s perfectly.

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

£500 cash!

WIN

THE BIG QUIZ

£500

A E B I E C M C G A A

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 – HAT What type of hat did the villain Oddjob wear in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger? (6)

1

W N I E T R S H R I I

C A C R E L O H E R L

M R D G F R I N T O O

C F R L S A K N H L N

I E I E U I H Y S F D

B D L T G A O T O U O

N R M H A E T R U E N

S U I U B L I E T O T

L O N A A L Y L H C S

I T E N B G A W G D E

N O T N E R T O A L N

E S S S S N E B T S A

N Y M I K E M Y E R S

E R I A T S A D E R F

COAT Redcoats are members of staff at which famous holiday camp chain? (7)

Which male dancer starred in the 1935 film Top Hat? (4, 7)

2

7

3

8

Which actor provided the voice of The Cat in the 2004 film The Cat in the Hat? (4, 5)

K C E U O D A W A D O

What is the name of the England football manager who is noted for wearing a waistcoat? (6, 9) 5. Name the country

PHOTOS: GETTY

Y What was the title of the long-running crime drama series Jersey with John s in the title role? (8)

8. Who is the England football manager?

Your answer:

The leader of he general cation of which famous annual cycle race wears w jersey? (4, 2, 6) What is the capital of the US state of ersey? (7)

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

49

HOLIDAY TIME

s n o s a 6 re isit... to v

Brimming with historical landmarks and wonderful thermal baths, head to Budapest for a romantic Valentine’s trip away

WORDS: KATE O’GORMAN. PHOTOS: ALAMY, GETTY, FACEBOOK.COM @THE SWEET BY VINTAGE GARDEN

Souvenir shopping

2 Visit the historic Buda Castle

Beautiful sights

1

Visit Castle Hill and explore its historic sites, starting with Buda Castle. The castle is free to enter, and the courtyards are open 24 hours a day for night owls wanting a midnight stroll. Its stunning architecture was restored after the damage from World War Two. It now houses the Széchényi National Library, the Budapest History Museum and the Hungarian National Gallery. While there, take in the breathtaking views from the Fisherman’s Bastion of the city and the River Danube and Chain Bridge.

50

Head to the indoor Great Market Hall filled with Hungarian culture and traditions, where you can purchase gorgeous handcrafted items and artisan delicacies, regardless of the weather outside. The threefloor market is overflowing with souvenirs, food, jewellery and fashion accessories. Sample the city’s popular specialities with some decadent marzipan and mouth-watering chocolates.

Shop in the Great Market Hall

Float around in thermal baths

Time to relax

3

Spend the day at the tranquil Széchényi Thermal Baths with 15 indoor and three outdoor pools (for around £17 per person, it’s worth the money). You must visit the large outdoor heated bath for an unforgettable experience with temperatures as high as 38C. Enjoy a game of chess or simply float around in the therapeutic spring water rich in sulphate, calcium and metaboric acid. If you want to splash out, indulge in a couple’s massage, but book this when buying your ticket.

Chain Bridge spanning the River Danube

Evening cruise

A hidden gem

4

6

Fall further in love during a spectacular boat cruise on the Danube. Book an evening cruise to ensure you see all the fascinating sights brightly lit up as you sail past. There are plenty of cruises to choose from, so opt for a romantic dinner or winetasting one, with the bonus of a live orchestra performing traditional Hungarian music.

Wine and dine on board

Make your love for your partner official at the Love Tree on Elizabeth Square.

The tree is surrounded by a metal fence where you can place a padlock engraved with you and your partner’s initials, to pledge your commitment to one another.

Why not surprise your partner with this romantic gesture and end the perfect Valentine’s trip with a beautiful memory.

Food and drink

5

Share pretty sweet treats

A great spot for a special dinner is Café Incognito on Liszt Ferenc Square.

Known in Budapest for its cocktails and prices that won’t break the bank, enjoy the wonderful ambience sitting outside in a heated glass dome. Share a blanket with your other half and cosy up under the stars. If you have a sweet tooth, go to The Sweet by Vintage Garden for Valentine’s cookies, cakes and macaroons iced and sprinkled with love hearts.

Express your undying love

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THE BIG CR I M E BEHIN HORROR ON THE HILL

Five angels Killed by the person who was supposed to protect them...

W

hen the police stopped Timothy Jones at a checkpoint in Mississippi in August 2014, nothing could have prepared them for the utter horror that lay ahead.

Jones was agitated and high on drugs. His clothes were covered in blood.

The police officers were overwhelmed by the stench of decomposing bodies.

As they searched the vehicle, they couldn’t work out where the smell was coming from.

It was then that Jones confessed – said he’d murdered his five children, driving around with them in the back of his car for days.

He said he’d dumped them in black bin bags and told the police to search on a hillside in Alabama.

And there they were –

54

little Merah, 8; Elias, 7; Nahtahn, 6; Gabriel, 2, and Abigail, 1 – wrapped in bin bags, as Jones had said.

As the news broke, shock spread nationwide.

What possessed a father to murder his children?

The children’s mother Amber was heartbroken.

She’d handed custody to her ex-husband after their divorce in 2011, as he earned more money than her.

She was adamant that

Jones was a good father during their marriage.

He had a respectable job as a computer engineer.

There was no sign that he was capable of such evil.

The marriage had fallen apart after Amber was said to have had an affair with a 19-year-old.

She moved out of the family home, leaving her husband devastated.

To those who knew the family, Jones was a loving dad, raising his kids alone in South Carolina.

But, at his trial in Lexington County in May 2019, the jury heard another side to the story.

Crystal Ballentine – one of Jones’ former

babysitters and single mum of a baby girl herself – said she was just 17 when she first met Jones, in 2012.

She worked from 7am to 6pm, looking after Jones’ kids and doing chores in the home. It wasn’t long before she and Jones, then 30, were in a relationship.

But, soon, Crystal noticed Jones had started to beat the children.

Sometimes he made them stand on their tiptoes in the corner.

She told the court Jones even tried to whip her own daughter when she was less than a year old – the final straw for Crystal. She ended the relationship.

But it didn’t stop Jones

To those who knew the family, he was a loving dad

The children’s home

Devastated mum Amber in court

ND THE BIG CRIME BE HIND THE B IG CRIME

from handing out more brutal punishment to his five innocent children.

Another babysitter, Joy Lorick, told the court she accompanied Jones and his children on a visit to Disney World in June 2014 – just eight weeks before the children were killed.

Joy told the court she’d seen Jones pull down the pants of little Gabriel and Nahtahn to beat them.

And Joy testified the children had asked her, ‘Could you not tell Daddy you just fed us, because he might not feed us again?’

But why had Jones killed his five children?

The confession came from Jones himself. He told psychiatrists that, on the night of 28 August 2014, he had an angry confrontation with little Nahtahn.

Just 6 years old, Nahtahn had allegedly broken an electrical outlet.

As punishment, Jones forced him to do various strenuous exercises.

Later that night, Jones found the child dead in bed.

But, instead of calling an

ambulance, Jones panicked, spent hours thinking about what to do.

He decided his five children should be together in heaven.

So he strangled Merah and Elias, using his hands, then used a belt to choke Gabriel and Abigail.

He wrapped their bodies in plastic and bundled them into the back of his truck.

Driving around frantically, he stopped off at various places to buy drugs.

For nine days, Jones drove around in a daze, his dead children in the back of the car.

He searched online for ways to make bodies decompose faster. Then he researched countries that didn’t extradite criminals back to the US. Jones was under no illusion about what he’d done.

Finally, he found a spot in rural Alabama and dumped his children on a hillside.

Jones’ lawyers claimed he

Timothy Jones confessed

was deep in the throes of mental illness when he killed his children.

They said that his sanity was damaged by his wife leaving him for a teenager.

‘He’s crazy,’ lawyer Boyd Young told jurors. ‘You can’t rationalise crazy. But at the time, he thought it was the right thing to do.’

Then the defence called a social worker, who detailed several levels of trauma within Jones’ family.

The horror included three generations of rapes, molestation by family members, gunshots, stabbings, drug deals, voodoo rituals, prostitution, frequent screaming fights, and swearing at children.

The court also heard how

Lawyers said he was in the throes of mental illness

Jones’ own mother dipped him in ice-water baths and gave him laxatives to try to make him behave.

Even Amber, the grieving mother of five dead children, begged the jury not to give her ex-husband the death sentence.

‘He did not show my children any mercy by any means,’ said Amber. ‘But my kids loved him, and if I’m speaking on behalf of my kids and not myself, that’s what I have to say.’

But, in June last year, the jury’s verdict was unanimous. Jones should face the death penalty.

Days later, Jones launched an appeal against his conviction and sentence.

For now, he’s on Death Row, knowing that, no matter how much time passes, he can never truly pay the price for the innocent lives he stole.

55

WORDS: SASKIA MURPHY. PHOTOS: ROGELIO V SOLIS/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK, PA IMAGES, GERRY MELENDEZ/THE STATE/MCT/ABACAPRESS.COM

slain

Murdered innocents: Gabriel, 2; Nahtahn, 6; Elias, 7; Merah, 8, and baby Abigail, 1

HOW TO ENTER

PUZZLES 7

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Solutions to Chat issue 3 (16 January 2020) Puzzle 3 Puzzle 4 Puzzle 5 Puzzle 6 Puzzle 7 Puzzle 8 Puzzle 9

Jackdaws 3C Play in a band Deed Close Chris Packham Watercress

WE WON!

Chat winners issue 44 (31 Oct 2019) £1,001 CASH J Clorley, Castlefields.

Anyone r from you e town in th list this week..?

£1,000 CASH D Mather, Derby. £500 CASH J Noble, Liversedge; C Crofts, Rugby.

Puzzle 10 Puzzle 12 Puzzle 13 Puzzle 14 Puzzle 15 Puzzle 16 Puzzle 17 Puzzle 18

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PUZZLE 1

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SECRETIVE

£150 CASH J Goudy, Ipswich.

D U O Y A R T S A D

£100 CASH J Sheppard, Wantage; B Morris, Market Drayton; E Crumpton, Birmingham; K Burns, York; D Neicho, Rochford. £60 CASH M Kitchinghman, Leeds. £50 CASH Edwards, East Sussex; V Parkin, Barnstaple; J Doe, Biggin Hill. £30 CASH A Daly, Haile; P Rowan, Sheffield; Y Smith, Gotherington; J Bishop, Brighouse; J Weston, Northampton. £25 CASH Y Freeman, Wakefield; E Ladlow, Brigg; S Williams, Wilmslow; T Mealing, Chester; R Price, Wolverhampton; M Hall, Bradford; A Muir, Alyth; D Butler, Chesham; J Lawson, Stewarton.

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Chat does not assume responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and illustrations. TI Media Limited reserves the right to reuse any submission sent to Chat magazine, in any format or medium. Chat does not have any direct link to charities mentioned and money donated is at your own discretion. © TI Media Limited, 2020. ISSN no: 0269 9893. Subscription rates: One year, 50 issues (including p&p): UK £59.60; EUR €119.10; USA $155.05; Rest of world £101.63. For enquiries, please visit help@magazinesdirect. com UK: Call 0330 333 1113 (lines are open Mon Sat 8am 6pm, UK time). Calls charged at no more than a national landline call, and may be included in your provider’s phone bundle. Overseas: Call +44 (0) 330 333 1113 (lines are open Mon Sat, 8am 6pm, UK time).

GO POTTY FOR POLKA DOTS!

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IN SICKNESS AND HEALTH

A letter to...

G

lancing over in the pub in 2002, I heard my friend whisper.

‘She likes you,’ she smiled.

We got chatting and exchanged numbers.

And when a dose of the flu left me bedridden a few weeks later, you brought round a bottle of Lucozade.

That was the start of us, Karena.

We fell in love, spent the next few years enjoying holidays to New York, San Francisco and Egypt.

And then, in 2008...

‘Let’s have a baby,’ we agreed.

After three years of trying to get pregnant via IVF, I finally succeeded.

McKenzie arrived in October 2011.

Then it was your turn!

You fell pregnant with Bowan a year later.

Our little family was complete.

On Valentine’s Day in

2015, you handed me some chocolates with words spelt out in the box.

Will you marry me?

‘Of course!’

I beamed.

Life was chaotic, the years flew by without us making wedding arrangements.

But then, in April 2019, I went to the doctors after my right breast swelled.

‘I’m afraid it’s stage 3 breast cancer,’ the doctor said.

Your hand found mind as I broke down.

‘What about the girls?’ I sobbed.

But you held it together for me, explaining to Bowan and McKenzie what was happening.

You researched, finding out as much as possible

58

With our lovely girls

about my disease.

It was as much your diagnosis as mine.

In May 2019, I had an op to remove the breast and lymph cancer.

And while we waited to see if the cancer had progressed, we prepared for the worst.

It was now or never, becoming your wife.

Booking a small ceremony, it was a great distraction.

Luckily, we discovered the cancer hadn’t spread.

But I’d still need chemotherapy and was prepared to lose my locks.

And it was on the morning of our wedding, in July 2019, that I awoke to find half my hair on the pillowcase.

Worst luck, going bald on my wedding day!

But you made it better.

‘Still so beautiful,’ you smiled.

As we exchanged vows,

Worst luck, going bald on my wedding day!

...but we had fun at our reception!

Chemo has been tough...

Here’s to me (left), you, and our future!

all that mattered was our love.

Making light of the situation, we sported rainbow-coloured wigs at the reception.

A day of love and laughter.

Back home, you took on the role of two mothers.

You got the girls ready for school, cooked and cleaned, all alongside your job as a police officer.

I’ll never forget how good you’ve been to me. There for every chemo session, appointment and checkup.

I’ve just finished my courses of chemo and radiotherapy, and I’m waiting to hear how it’s gone.

But, for now, I want to thank you, Karena, for so many things.

Most of all, for being my wife.

All my love, Lisa x Lisa Wainwright, 49, Brixworth, Northants

For support on how to talk to children about a breast-cancer diagnosis, call Breast Cancer Now’s free helpline on 0808 800 6000, or order the booklet Mummy’s Lump via breastcancernow.org

WORDS: FIONA KINLOCH.

A wife in aDearmillio Karena,

G N I V I L N E E GRmade easy

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