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 8
THE BRIDEZILLA MUM TURNED
3
REAL-LIFE
whopushe
hergroom
100 AND
ADOPTED
STORIES OFF A CLIFF NEWLYWE
DS AN OAP! CUTE
YOUR T
RFEC
PE MER
Your big monthly SUM ROBE
WARD Grow your
own veg!

Myfightto UNITED

R24 - May 14 - June 11 2020

save my son...
FU N
ANDNOWMYHUSBAND PUZZLES
A MON Ihad to stop
pole dancing
HID IN TO HAVE MY AT 23!
HIP REPLACED
MY BE FINAL ACT

Our baby died

FRIEND’ 12 TIMES
butshe re used
THEN SLICED FIGHTER

YOU’LL NEVER
to leave us

HER THR OAT GUESS WHERE

I FOUND MY
LONG LOST DAD! LUCKY
NEVER MISS
AN ISSUE!

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 in!
June 2020

Co
Welcome… pg12
pg42
T
he last few weeks have been strange
and difficult for all of us, but here at C
we’re looking on the bright side.
With the sun out and summer in fu
swing, why not get pretty in pink with a new
COVER STORIES
seasonal wardrobe (pg12)?
4 A monster hid in my best
While you’re at it, check out some
friend’s bed then sliced her
fantastic buys that will get your home
throat
shining bright (pg28).
6 Our baby died 12 times but she
We’ve seen a lot of superheroes in our
refused to leave us

pg6
midst lately, and we’ve learnt that the
16 You’ll never guess where I
smallest gesture can make a huge impact
found my long lost dad!
For Rhiannon (pg22), her biggest hero is
26 The bridezilla who pushed her
groom off a cliff

pg55
her dad. As thick as thieves since she was
young, the pair of them did everything
36 I had to stop pole dancing to
together. But when she asked her dad to go on
have my hip replaced

pg18
a diet with her, it didn’t go to plan...
44 My fight to save my son... and
This month, we really admire Mari (pg8).
now my husband
Despite her age, she confronted a thief in her
58 Mum turned 100 and adopted
own shop, and made it clear that she will fight
an OAP!
for justice – we’ve got her back!
Leanne (pg10) thought she’d never see again MORE TRUE STORIES
after a sudden hit to the face – and you’ll never 8 Quick chats
guess who was behind the attack. But this 10 Bite the bullet
brave mum has taken it in her stride, and now 19 In a spin!
has her sights set on safety around the house. 22 Losing battle

pg40
32 Ssstuck in first gear!
Cover image: Getty Images: SWNS and Getty Please note: some stories may have appeared in other magazines.

As well as plenty more real life, we’ve got

some great tips on growing plants indoors, 38 Still out there
proving you don’t need a garden 47 No more
hands muddy (pg14), some craft 49 Close call
your unwanted furniture back to 56 The truth hurts
the latest tasty treats to add to y 61 My turn
shopping list (pg25).
Don’t miss out on what’s hot at FUN FEATURES
12 Fashion – Pretty in pink
(pg34), and remember to grab y
Special, on sale 11 June. 14 Green fingers
Enjoy! 18 Under the sea
25 Tasty treats
28 Home – Shine bright

Gail x pg66 31
34
Hot right now!
Fashion – M&S
40 Try upcycling!
Cooking
Strike a pose

Hide and see Beauty

Weird world
n w c page n t s Chit chat
The Team month’s Chat special
Editor: Gail Shortland Senior Writer:
Laea Marshall Feature Writers: Rosie
can you find this
photogenic feline?
OUR FAVOURITES
Blimey
Crass, Hannah Poon, Nia Dalton Senior Your answer: Chat confidential
Designer: Victoria Elliott Designer: __________ Your health
Emily Kelford Junior Designers: Yazz Answer on Snap happy
Williams, Hollie Moxham, Mel Walter page 60 Chat quiz

3
 IT WILL
Aviciousmonstersteppedinto
ruinourfamily’slivesforever…
Kylie Ferguson, 39
s the groom kissed the
A bride, I was beaming.
It was July 2003, and my
brother James and his new
wife Adelle had just
Words by Niamh Butler-Walton Photos: SWNS
married in a beautiful beachfront
ceremony in our home in
Queensland, Australia, and I’d
never seen them happier.
When James first introduced me
to Adelle just a few months earlier,
she’d been a breath of fresh air.
Originally from Ireland, she was
a surgeon’s secretary and had met
James at Royal Brisbane Hospital,
where he worked in the medical
records department.
She was fun, bubbly, and loving,
Adelle was a
breath of fresh air
4
and as she swung my son
Jacob into their air, sending
him into hysterics, I knew
she’d fit in with our family
right away.
They were a perfect match.
And it seemed Adelle was a
perfect match for me, too –
since we’d met, we’d become
really close, chatting on the
phone for hours every day.
‘I’m pregnant,’ Adelle
beamed a few months later,
over the moon.
I was ecstatic.
In 2004, James and Adelle
welcomed their son Declan
into the world.
Then, four years
er, in 2008,
delle gave birth
their baby
aughter, Ava.
They were both Steven stole her from u
illiant parents,
ut sadly, time had
s
ken its toll on
eir relationship,
nd when Ava was
ust two months comforted her when James started the party clearly drunk and
ld, they split up. dating someone new – Angela. smelling of booze.
It was amicable, I hoped that she’d find the same ‘I told him he didn’t have to
hough, and they’d happiness that my brother had, and come,’ Adelle said, embarrassed.
greed to share custody in time, she did. I left feeling unsettled.
f the kids. ‘I’ve met someone new,’ she said Adelle can do better, I thought.
I was glad of it, too, a few months later. ‘He’s amazing.’ But as time passed, Adelle and
ecause while I adored Adelle had met Steven Murray Steven seemed to be happy.
my brother, I couldn’t Storie, 38, on Plenty of Fish, and ‘Maybe he just gives a bad first
magine my life was absolutely smitten. impression,’ I tried to tell myself.
without Adelle. But when I finally met him for Two years later, in 2013, Adelle
We continued to chat the first time a few months later, I had some news.
every day, and I was less than impressed. ‘Steven and I are engaged!’ she
We’d all cried down the phone.
gathered at I was thrilled, but there was still a
Adelle’s place niggling doubt in my mind…
for Declan’s ‘Are you sure about this?’ I
seventh asked. ‘Are you sure he’s the one?’
birthday ‘I’m sure,’ Adelle insisted.
party, but She was my best friend, and I had
Steven to respect her wishes.
seemed to be But soon after that, things started
angry that to change.
there were so Whenever I spoke to Adelle, she
many family sounded unhappy.
members ‘He’s very controlling,’ she told
She was a around. me one day.
brilliant mum He’d ‘He’s not the man I thought he
appeared at was.’ Steven had become

VER
increasingly
possessive,
and Adelle
hardly saw
her friends
anymore, bar
left the house
Finally, in
she kicked Steven out.
Me with Declan
and Ava
‘I’ve had enough,’ she
told me.
‘Good for you,’ I replied.
But Steven couldn’t accept that it
was over.
During this time, James’ wife
Angela had been battling cancer,
and, still on good terms with her
ex-husband, Adelle spent a lot of
time with them, helping out where
she could.
Steven hated Adelle being so
close to James, and he began
stalking her, waiting outside her
house and following her around.
He even created a fake Facebook
account which he used to threaten
her, but when Adelle went to the
police, they told her there was
nothing they could do. The
Brutal
VER
they turned the
corner into her
street, they saw blue
lights flashing and
police everywhere.
That’s when
next few weeks, I was so busy
trying to stay strong for James and
the kids, I barely grieved myself.
That Christmas, 11 months after
their mum’s death, Ava and Declan
released a white dove into the skies.
Elisha called me. ‘He can spend the holiday season
‘It’s Adelle,’ she with Mum,’ Declan said.
said. ‘I think she In November 2018, Steven
might be hurt.’ Murrary Storie, then 48, appeared
I hung up, at Brisbane Supreme Court and
immediately grabbed admitted murder.
my keys to head The court heard exactly how he’d
straight over. taken Adelle’s life.
But before I could Driving to her house while she
leave, Elisha called was out, he broke into her garage,
back, hysterical. slashing her front car tyres with a
‘She’s dead,’ she box cutter.
screamed. Adelle got home just before 1am.
I couldn’t speak as Slipping a knife into his pocket,
Elisha told me that Storie broke in and stalked into the
when they’d seen bedroom they’d once shared.
emergency services, As Adelle fought for her life,
Declan, then 11, had Storie held her down on the bed and
She was looking turned pale. slit her throat.
for a new start ‘He’s killed my Then, the monster slid the
mum,’ he said. engagement ring off Adelle’s finger,
In that moment, my before burying it.
heart broke in two. He was sentenced to life behind
llowing Steven had killed our bars, with a minimum of 20 years.
ear, Adelle precious Adelle. At his sentencing, I read
called me My beautiful sister-in-law and statements from Ava and Declan.
in tears. best friend was only 39. ‘I have a gap in my heart because
She’d I raced to the police station to of him,’ I read on Ava’s behalf,
gone to the meet James and the kids, and there, staring Storie right in the eye.
olling booth I learned the horrific truth. ‘When I found out my mum was
place her Adelle’s throat had been slit killed by someone I called my
te, and three times with so much force that stepdad, I felt like I was drowning,’
en had she’d nearly been decapitated. I said for Declan.
red. Police had searched As I read, Steven
e dead,’ her house and garden, burst into tears.
ed, forming and found a knife in
gun shape with his the undergrowth – her
Her throat But when I finished,
he stopped crying.
and.
But there was still nothing the
engagement ring was
buried nearby.
was slit I didn’t fall for his
fake grief.
police could do.
A few months later, Angela sadly
Later that same day,
Steven turned himself
three times Nothing will ever
bring Adelle back.
lost her battle with cancer. in to police. Declan, now 15, and
After that, Adelle spent most of We were all devastated. Ava, 11, are doing incredibly well
her time with James, comforting He’d taken her life, but considering everything they’ve
him and the kids. why? For what? been through.
That only enraged Steven more. She’d done nothing wrong, and They live with James now, and
‘He called and said if he couldn’t had only been supporting my we make sure to talk about their
have me, neither could James or brother, who’d lost his wife just a mum all the time.
anyone else,’ Adelle told me in week before. Adelle lives on in her children,
tears. ‘When will it stop?’ In time, we planned Adelle’s and I know she would have been so
I tried to reassure her, but I was funeral and asked everyone to wear proud of them.
scared, too. red – her favourite colour. Now I want to share her story to
How far was he willing to go? The service was packed, and raise awareness of domestic
Just a week after Angela’s Ava, then six, placed one half of a violence and stalking.
passing, James and our sister Elisha necklace that read Mum in the Adelle’s life may have been cut
were driving the kids to Adelle’s to coffin, keeping the other half that short, but we will never let her
pick up some clothes. But when read daughter for herself. Over the memory die.
5

KEEP HOLDIN
I’mamazedatmylittlegirl’sstrength…
Sammi Love, 31, from Newcastle
Dear Eidy,
taring down at the
S pregnancy test, you were a
total surprise.
I know you won’t
understand this yet, but you
see, I’d had a contraceptive coil
fitted a while back, which meant I
shouldn’t have been growing you.
But, you had other ideas for me
and your dad.
You’d slipped
through the net so you
could join our family
and become a sister to It was too
your three brothers
Ryan, 13, Zakk, eight early to meet
and Abon, seven.
Trust me when I say you Eidy
though Eidy, you may
have been a surprise,
Words by Katie Pearson Photos: SWNS
but me and your dad, Carl,
were so excited to meet you.
However, we had a long journey
ahead of us before then, didn’t we?
When we went for our first scan
at 12-weeks, you were just a dot –
above Mummy’s coil device.
It looked like the coil had
slipped out of place and that’s how
you go through, but it meant you
were at risk of being born early or
6
You never g
ave up on u
getting an infection.
I was really worried about you,
but I would protect you at all costs.
However, Mummy was very
poorly while pregnant with you.
I was being sick so much that
blood vessels burst in my face.
Although I was scared, I did
everything I could to make sure you
were growing healthy and strong.
Only, Mummy had no control
over what happened next.
At just 24-weeks in February
2019, you took control of things.
Cooking dinner for
your brothers, they
were very fussy, so I
had to make two sets
– tomato and red
pepper soup for Zakk,
and Stilton and
broccoli for Ebon.
I was exhausted
after, so once
they went to bed, I sat on the
sofa, ready for a bit of me
and you time.
Only, when I stood up, I
was soaked.
Were you making an early
appearance, Eidy?
You see darling, I’d had
your brother’s cut out of my
tummy each time, so I didn’t
know if my waters had broken or
Eidy you
were tiny
s
if I’d had an accident. So, I shouted
for Daddy.
‘I think I’ve wet myself,’ I said to
enough for you to breathe.
So nurses gave me some steroid
injections to help your lungs.
him, slightly embarrassed. But we had to change hospitals,
But in the back of my head, I as the one we were in didn’t have
knew this was different.
an incubator for you.
So, calling around to your Auntie So, me and your dad travelled to
Paula, 47, and Nanny Yvette, 56, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital.
we asked for advice, but neither of ‘You’re not ready to come out
them could explain it.
You see sweetie, you weren’t
meant to be coming for a long time,
so no one knew what to do.
‘Just get yourself to hospital,’
Nanny eventually said to me.
So, me and Daddy went to Royal
yet,’ I kept telling you, as I stroked
my stomach.
But you weren’t listening, were
you Eidy?
Because at 3am the following
day, pains shuddered through
Mummy’s tummy.
Stoke University Hospital, where I must have been having
doctors soon confirmed my
waters had broken.
Whilst we were so excited
to meet you, this was too early
You slipped
through
The coil had Mummy and Daddy
are so proud of you
moved
 Mighty
nurses swarmed around you, and
again, they were forced to
resuscitate.
Eidy, I don’t know what kept
you going, but you refused to give
up on us.
In the first 19 weeks of your life,
you were resuscitated 12 times.
That’s 12 times we nearly lost
you, but you weren’t going
anywhere, were you?
And after five months, we were
finally allowed to bring you home
to properly meet your brothers.
They absolutely adored you.
When you were six-months-old,
you had another episode of turning
blue, but thankfully Mummy
spotted it and whacked you hard on
the back.
And it worked!
Sweetie, you’re now one, and
Your brothers you are the most precious thing in

NG ON
adored you
no one expected you to make it.
But Eidy, you were a fighter.
‘She had an episode during the
night,’ the doctor told us when we
arrived one morning.
Your oxygen levels had dropped
dangerously low and doctors had to
resuscitate you, but you got through
it, Eidy.
You could have died, but you
held on.
Again and again you were
the world.
Growing up with three big
brothers might be tough for you.
They’ll be over-protective, but
that’s only because they nearly lost
you all those times.
And despite being born at
24-weeks and having tiny lungs,
you sure make up for it now.
Screaming your head off, you
always let the boys know when
you’re cross with them.
Eidy, I’m so proud of you.
You may have been small and
early, but you’re a mighty warrior
to me.

All my love,
resuscitated, but every time you
pulled through.
must have been stress pains. Suddenly, about 30 people One afternoon, I noticed your

mmy.
I was in agony, but I tried to get a rushed into the room and whisked lips turn blue and limbs go floppy. I
good night’s sleep and calm down. you away to that bed we were watched in horror as doctors and
After all, I needed you to stay put talking about.
for as long as possible. I couldn’t go with you though,
Only, the pain got worse and at I had to deliver the placenta – the
6am, I couldn’t take it any longer. stuff which fed you your
‘I need help,’ I told your dad, nutrients in the womb.
who sprung out of his chair and Only, it was broken.
rushed to find a nurse. It turned out, you didn’t take
Only, there was no time. control of things in there after all
Lifting myself into the sitting – the coil had, by pricking your
position, I suddenly felt something amniotic sac.
between my thighs… you! We feared it would happen,
You weren’t holding on any but it was still such a shock.
longer and quickly pushing my My tiny little girl, no bigger
hands forwards than the palm of my hand.
to catch you, you And then, guess what
bundled out. happened Eidy?
It happened all The midwife found the coil
so quickly. on the floor!
I didn’t know It had come out with you.
if you were dead ‘Do you want to keep it?’ she
or alive. asked me.
But then, just But I didn’t want to see it.
as your daddy For the first five days of your
walked in with a precious life, Mummy and
nurse, you Daddy couldn’t hold you as we
whimpered and had to wait until you were a
then cried. little bit stronger.
Oh Only, you were very weak
sweetheart, I’m and doctors only gave you a 15
so glad you did. per cent chance of survival.
Doctors And when you were just
wouldn’t have seven days old, you got an You’re a
intervened if infection called sepsis. mighty warrior
you hadn’t. Me and your dad had to
Within prepare ourselves to say
seconds, the goodbye.You were so fragile,
 uick chats We can’t let
All my mi
ght
them win

SUPERGRAN
We have to stand up
to bullies…
Mari Parker, 72, Barnsley,
South Yorks
confirmed it further.
‘I’ll have to confiscate it,’
Daniel told him sternly, taking
hold of the handlebars.
I half expected the boy to
fight back, but instead he made
shake me off.
A couple of customers from
the shop wandered out to see
what was going on.
‘Call the police!’ I shouted.
Suddenly, I realised just how
My hubby
will never
grow up!
Yvonne Cooper, 59,
Norwich
W
S
a run for it. serious this situation was. itting at my work
‘I’ll message the owners to What if he had a knife? desk, I noticed a

S
tanding behind the
counter, I watched the tell them we have it,’ Jumping onto familiar face.
customers browse around Daniel told me, before the seat, he tried to It was my
the shop. popping out to get peddle away and ex-husband…
At 72, I had a lot of time on some milk. What if even pushed me into a I hadn’t seen him for
my hands, so I regularly helped
out at my son Daniel’s antique
While he was gone,
I kept a close eye on he had a parked van, but I held
onto the bike.
years, but here he was
fixing the lights in our
shop in Barnsley.
That Sunday, I was doing the
the bike.
Only, the hooded knife? ‘For God’s sake,’ he
yelled, before jumping
office building.
There was no bad
morning shift with Daniel, 42, thief had clearly seen off and fleeing. blood between the two
and as usual, it was busy. Daniel leave and I’d saved the bike! of us.
Then, I heard the bell to the swaggered back in. Although I was thrilled, I would We’d married when
door go. ‘Is there a reward for this be lying if I said I wasn’t shaken. I was just 17 in 1978,
A man in his early twenties bike?’ he spat. It took four hours for the before shortly going our
came swaggering in with ‘No ’ I shouted. police to arrive to interview me, separate ways.
his hood up, push I’m going to and while they did eventually I guess we were just a
bike alongside him it back,’ he spat. catch him, the charges were bit too young.
‘How much for Before I could later dropped. Over the years we’d
this?’ he asked act, he’d I was disappointed, but I’d both met other people
me, coming up to rabbed the done a great thing that day. and got on with our own
the till. stolen bike and A few hours later, the 13-year- separate lives.
Only, before was heading for old owner and his mum came to But now, standing face-
I could answer the door. collect the bike. to-face again, we were
back, Daniel But I wasn’t They were so pleased to both single.
jumped in. I fought him off oing to let him have it back. Agreeing to pop over
Words and Photos: SWNS

‘I recognise tha et away easily! It turned out, a group of thugs to his house, we thought
bike,’ he said. ‘It o, chasing after had pushed the boy off the bike we’d see if the flame was
was reported stol grabbed hold and stolen it, before trying to still there.
on a Facebook gr ke. flog it in Daniel’s shop. And sure enough, it
Staring in horror, I could Let go, he sniggered, I may be 72, but someone most certainly was.
barely believe it. spilling onto the street. needs to stand up to bullies. But it wasn’t just that
And the man’s reaction only Using all my might, I kept We can’t let them win.

8
 FLOWER POWER
he rafflesia plant is often
referred to as a ‘monster
flower’ for its parasitic
properties and repugnant
stench. Now, Indonesian wildlife
officials might have found the
most monstrous flower of them
all. A rafflesia that recently
bloomed in a West Sumatran
forest is nearly four feet in
diameter – that would make it
the largest flower ever recorded
according to the Natural
Resources and Conservation
Centre in West Sumatra.
The plant has no roots or leaves,
and instead feeds on a host plant t
live, drinking its water and nutrients
It’s only visible when it bursts throu
the host plant to reveal its flowers.
The flower’s menacing open mouth
emits a foul odour similar to rotting
meat, earning it the nickname ‘cor
flower’. But for all its glory, the
rafflesia’s life is tragically short. It A deadly scent
mouth remains open for just one week
before it rots and dies – so the largest
flower on Earth is on borrowed time.

WHAT A M
He’s a menace
which hadn’t changed!
Paul’s love for Beanos!
Even after all those years,
how could I have forgotten?
CE
I found it
endearing
admired his passion. marry his Beanos, too.
And in March 2000, me and We dedicated the spare
Paul tied the knot again. room to his collection, but it
Given the chance, he would was growing wild.
have dressed up as Dennis Thankfully, in 2009, the
hing, and this is Paul’s.
And there was a bright
ide to all of this.
It made Christmas and
birthdays much easier.
I could just buy him
omething comic book
elated and he’d loved it!
‘How many copies
do you think you have?’
I asked him one day,
when I was staring at the
piling collection.
‘No clue,’ he puzzled.
So, we set to work
counting and there were
a staggering 2,000
editions in there!
It was out of control!
We couldn’t believe
it and Paul commented
under a Facebook post by
Radio Norfolk to tell them
all about it.
Only, the next thing we
knew, the BBC were calling
us, wanting to share his
story with the world!
Now, we’ve been invited
to the CD Thomson offices
Words by Hattie Bishop Photos: SWNS

‘There are piles in every
room,’ I chuckled, slightly
surprised that he hadn’t
grown out of his school-boy
obsession by now.
I guess some things in life
never change!
I know for a lot of women,
they would have run a mile,
thinking he wasn’t mature
enough for them, but I
the Menace, but instead we
opted for a small ceremony
in our local registry office,
followed by a meal out.
After all, we’d already done
it once!
It was the perfect day, and
soon we settled back into our
lives together.
However, when you marry
Paul, you most definitely
newsagent stopped delivering
the mag, and I foolishly
believed it would put a stop to
the ever-growing collection.
But nothing could stop Paul
– he just ordered them online.
I wasn’t angry, I just laughed
it off.
‘Typical,’ I’d smile, as
another one arrived at the
house. Everyone has their
for a tour!
‘That’s where Beano is
made!’ Paul cheered.
He was thrilled and can’t
wait to travel to Dundee to
wander around the studio!
I know men are younger
at heart, but I don’t think
mine will ever grow up!
I guess you could say,
he’s my very own menace!

9
 JUST FOR FUN
The little one
The official currency of Vanuatu is the Vatu, but
what animals are also used as currency in some
areas? Solve the crossword, then read down the
E TH
E
yellow squares to find the answer.

BULL
ACROSS 1 2 3
1 Playing area (5)
4 Pastry dish (3)
6 Rock outcrop (4)
7 Opposite of no (3)
DOWN 4 5
1 Top-twenty music
(3)
2 Layers of a wedding 6
cake (5)
3 Joint on which a 7
door turns (5)
5 Rocks in scotch? (3)

Your answer ________________________

When Leanne took a sudden hit to the
face, she didn’t think she’d be able to
see again… Leanne Polis, 39, from Gloucestershire
Wordsea alking from one end of

W
group of friends in their back
the kitchen to the other, gardens after school.
I hopped across the tiles She was even invited to a
What would some warriors in like I was performing an Nerf-themed birthday party!
ancient China do before battle to energetic dance routine. When her own birthday came, in
But I wasn’t playing hopscotch, October 2019, Renee saved up her
intimidate their enemies? The answ or practising hip-hop – I was trying birthday money to buy two new
is the one missing from the grid. to dodge the rapid gunfire coming Nerf blasters.
from the hallway. Three months later, one evening
‘ATTACK!’ my little girl, in January, I slumped myself on the
C A R T W H E E L Renee, eight, roared. sofa just in time for Strictly Come
‘Be careful!’ I called out. Dancing on TV.
S T A N D T T H E ‘Never aim them at people’s
faces, remember.’
Then…
Pew-pew-pew-pew.
S A U A C A I L V She shot a round of foam bullets
towards her target, as her big
‘That’s enough for today,’ I said
to Renee.
C L N O T H T A I brother Rhys, 15, pretended to ‘OK, Mum,’ she sighed.
Words by Katie Pearson Photos: SWNS and Alamy Not actual Nerf gun pictured

collapse on the floor. As I watched Anton du Beke

‘One man down,’ he yelled. shimmy on television, I felt a
R C E I B S A S T Smiling as I rolled my eyes, I needle shoot through my left eye.
began to prep tea. ‘Ouch!’ I screamed.
E O D E E A I N A God knows what the neighbours My eyeball felt like it was
must think of us!
A E A R P N N M T Since a friend had gifted
Renee a Nerf gun, her and Rhys
M M W R G L U U E staged Nerf battles daily.
It had brought Renee out of
Rhys looks
after his sister
P L A I T H A I R her shell.
And she always came out on
top – Rhys loved to let his little
sister win.
•CARTWHEEL •CHANT •DANCE •HUM • He is so kind and caring.
The man of the house.
JUGGLE • LEVITATE •MEDITATE • Me and the kids’ dad were no
PLAIT HAIR • ROAR• NAME • RUN ABOUT• longer together, and Rhys did
SCREAM •SING • SLEEP •STAND • WRESTLE good job of looking after his
favourite girls.
When Renee wasn’t pl
Your answer _______________________ with her big brothe
having Nerf wars w

10 Answers on page 60.

 Close call

H
LET
flaming hot.
Clutching my
face, I realised what
had happened.
Renee’s blasted
Nerf bullets!
Rhys sprinted for
a cold flannel and I What on Nerf! s she gav
e some
Renee didn’t
mean to do it

held it on my eyelid rops to

for 20 minutes. help stop it
Peeling the ‘Will I
flannel off, I prayed lose my
that I still had my sight?’ I
clear vision. stream and sting. asked.
Blinking a few times, relief I tried to keep my eyeball as still ‘You have uveitis and your iris is
washed over me. as possible, it hurt to look in badly bruised,’ she responded.
I could still see. different directions. ‘You could lose your sight.’ their sight.
‘That stupid gun,’ I sighed. ‘Keep the lights off,’ I yelled as It was a waiting game to see if It’s important to stay safe.
Rhys explained that it had just we walked into the house. my pupil would heal. We don’t want any more injuries
been an accident. Trying to keep calm, I wore ‘You can still do so much with in our house.
And so I went to look for Renee. sunglasses to work the next day. one eye,’ she continued. My close call was enough to put
‘I know you didn’t mean to hit Only, my vision continued to Biting back tears, I worried about us off for a while.
me,’ I whispered to her, huddled in blur as the day went on. losing my job. Who knew rubber bullets could
a lump under her duvet. ‘Am I going blind?’ I panicked to When I got home, I was even do so much damage?
She stayed still and quiet. 111 on the phone. more worried about Renee. Now, everyone can learn a lesson
Checking my eye out in the ‘You should go to a She’d been so quiet from me!
bathroom mirror, I winced at the walk-in medical ever since the accident.
sore bloodshot reflection. centre right away,’ the My eye felt If I lost my sight,
This is going to hurt tomorrow, I
thought to myself.
call operator advised.
I left Rhys to look like it was Renee would never
forgive herself. Nerf’s response
The following morning, I woke after Renee, and my For the next few days,
up feeling OK.
And so, I
mum Jenny, 59, drove
me to our local
on fire I took some time off
work and used eye drops
spokeswoman for Hasbro said,
Aall applicable
all Nerf products comply with
took myself to walk-in centre. at home. global safety laws,
work as a Holding a wet flannel over ‘Will you be okay?’ Renee asked. regulations and standards.
construction my eye, underneath a pair of ‘Don’t you worry!’ I promised. ‘Nerf packaging and instructions
apprenticeship sunnies, I looked a right sight. ‘I’ll be fine. I’m just glad you include warnings re: product
manager for a Like a rugged celebrity. two didn’t get hurt.’ usage. Consumers should not aim
college. I can’t believe a Nerf bullet did Rhys was just as concerned about Nerf blasters at a person’s eye or
But as I this, I kept thinking. her as I was. face, should only use official Nerf
picked the ‘You’ll need to go to Bristol Eye ‘She’s put all the Nerf guns away darts, and never modify darts or
kids up from Hospital tomorrow,’ the nurse said. in a box,’ he said.
school, my That night, I tried to sleep off the My heart broke for Renee. blasters. The use of eyewear is
eye started to pain, but I was up worrying about it It was the best thing to do. suggested when using Nerf
burn again. for hours. We were all a little scarred. blasters. For more information,
The As soon as the kids were in As the weeks passed, thankfully consumers can also visit Nerf.com
headlights of school, Mum took me there. my vision improved. for detailed product instructions
other cars ‘The pain is caused by your pupil ‘Your eye is on the mend,’ the and applicable safety warnings.’
made my eye dilating,’ the hospital doctor doctor said, when I returned for an

11
 Fashion Bra, £30,
Figleaves
The best of
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o w ild Brief, £16,

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ix
and ml with
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leopa . Mini skirt, £25,

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I
t’s time to think pink. The candy
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ontrast with red or try a tonal

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Elsa court shoe,

£28, Dorothy Perkins

12
 your wardrobe
Puff top, £22,
Miss Selfridge pcycle
T
here’s no time like the present to clear out your wardrobe
and refresh your style.
That t-shirt you’ve stopped wearing? Customise it! The
jeans that don’t fit you? Donate them to charity! And the shoes that
you no-longer like? Find a clothes bank!
Along with reusing and recycling, upcycling is becoming the
latest trend to take the fashion industry by storm.
And our favourite way to upcycle – the classic tie dye – is back!
DYLON Dyes have
created a simple step-by-
Blazer, £22.99, step guide on how to
New Look Blush blouse, ice-dye for just £7 and in
£29, Miss Selfridge
Add a p as little as two hours.
op Transform your
of colou garments into this year’s
hottest trend with these
with a p four steps…

blazer. YOU’LL NEED...

 DYLON Hand Dyes
 A white cotton t-shirt
Mini bag,  Bag of ice cubes
£24, Curvissa  Rubber gloves
 Cooling rack
 Large plastic tray

Dou
£6, Dorothy Perkins
Flip flops, £10, Dorothy Perkins
HOW TO DO IT…
1. Wet the clean shirt and
squeeze out any excess
water. Leave damp and
crumple shirt into a
bundle.
2. Stack the cooling rack
on top of a tray. Place
the crumpled shirt on rack and cover with ice cubes.
3. Sprinkle dye powder at random over the ice. Repeat if you’re
adding additional colours. Leave the shirt to sit for a minimum of
one hour or until the ice melts.
4. Once dye has set, rinse out excess dye until water runs clear
and leave to dry away from direct sunlight.

Smock dress, £42,

Dorothy Perkins

Tapered trousers,
£17.99, New Look

13
 Lifestyle
Green finger
I ndoor planting is a fant
can it save you money w
vegetables, but it can also improve y
You don’t need a garden to get y
Top tips
G rowing your own seeds can
be a highly rewarding
challenge, but it takes a lot of
love and dedication. Thankfully,
in-house plant expert at leading
garden centre group Haskins
Garden Centers, Alasdair
Urquhart, is here with a handy
guide to get you started!
Timing is key
Whilst it’s tempting to plant
your seeds as soon a
buy them, it’s import
that you get the
timing right. Always
look on the packet
for the sowing
recommendations
and the timing
schedule.
The art of
watering
Love them
Seedlings are deli
giving you very little room for
error when it comes to watering.
The art is in getting the seed
compost damp but not wet. I
recommend watering from the
bottom. Standing your seed trays
on a wet wicket – or plate- and
placing the water there will allow
it to soak upwards.
Plant it right
The temptation is to push
seeds deep into their compost
Words by Hannah Poon Stock images: Getty
and let nature take its course.
The packet should guide you as
to how far to plant, but if it
doesn’t the rule of thumb is to
plant two to three times as deep
as they are wide. If in doubt, opt
for the shallower side.
Let there be light
For best results, you’ll need a
mix of natural and artificial light.
You can invest in specific grow
lights or you use fluorescent
bulbs As the first leaves appear,
ant these lights on for 12
14
an
t is
r th
wo bn
2.2
£
The results
are worth it
o 16 hours a day.
THE EASIEST VEGETABLES
nuggle time
Most seeds need a
m temperature of
TO GROW INDOORS:
˚c to start the
germination process. Good
E ven without a greenhouse, you can grow a number
of tasty vegetables within your home. It will take a
lot of dedication, but here are a selection of the easiest
places to do this are on top of the vegetables to grow from your window.
refrigerator, airing cupboard or
near a warm radiator. Lettuce greens
sunny windowsill and
Don’t leave me this way Surprisingly easy to keep them moist but not
grow, you can harvest an wet. Once they
Never neglect your seedlings. endless supply of lettuce germinate, thin them so
Left alone too long they’ll
leaves from a sunny that each carrot is at
become weak and fail to thrive. window. Look for lettuce least an inch apart from
You’ll need to adjust water and marked as cutting its neighbour.
lighting every day to ensure
lettuce or leaf
maximum potential. Keep a lettuce, as you matoes
constant eye on them and So easy
can harvest With a bit of
always refer to the packet for the leaves LC, tomatoes
maintenance guidance.
and the plant ast a
Labels will grow urprisingly
back, giving ong time
If you’re growing more than doors. They
one type of seed, make sure you you more for
half the effort. o need
label them, making a note of the mal sunlight,
day you planted them. This way Carrot sure they
you can keep a track of them.
Whilst you won t have the best seat at
Keep going get large chopping the window. For sturdy
Sowing seeds is hard and it carrots, with a deep roots, start your seeds in
takes time and dedication, but enough pot, you can egg cartons before
the rewards are worth it. Don’t achieve small salad transferring them into a
give up! carrots all year-round. large pot when they are
Keep your carrots on a a few inches tall.
 GET MORE FOR YOUR MONEY:
Get those
E veryone wants to get the most out of their money. One good
way to do this is to regrow vegetables from their cuttings. It
takes a lot of commitment, but it’s worth it. Here’s how to grow
hands dirty some of your favourite vegetables from their cuttings.

Avocado
As a popular superfood, we want avocados all y
 Take the seed and wash it thoroughly
 Use toothpicks to suspend the seed over water in
a bowl or jar, with enough water to cover the
bottom inch of the seed.
 Once stem and roots appear and the stem
reaches six inches, cut it down to three inches.
 When leaves appear, plant the seed in soil,
leaving half of it above the surface.
 Place by a sunny window
 Water and watch it grow!

Celery
Handy all year round, get more from
 Cut around two inches from the stump
 Lay in a bowl of warm water and place
sunny window
 When leaves start to grow, place your
celery into a pot of soil.
 Water and watch grow!

Garlic
Needed for almost every home cooked meal,
essential in every household.
 Take a bulb of garlic and separate the cloves
 Plant cloves into the soil with the pointed
end facing up, four to six inches apart.
 Push the cloves one to two inches into the
ground and firm the soil around it.
 Water and watch grow!

To help you along the way:

Garden Trading
Hawkesbury hand fork, Sainsbury’s Home
£12, Gardentrading.co.uk Coastline plant labels,
£1.50, Sainsbury’s
Wilko hand fork
and trowel, £2, Wilko Sainsbury’s Home
Wilderness plant
stand, £32, Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s Home
Coastline watering
can, £12.50, Sainsbury’s

Garden Trading
seedlings tray, £12,
Gardentrading.co.uk
A fun new
hobby!

Hanging plant pot

tin yellow, £1, Primark
The New Plant Parent,
£17.99, Oliver Bonas

15
 JUST FO
Cross it!
Solve the puzzle to find a
word. Fit the words back in the
grid and the letters in the
highlighted squares spell out the answer.
We’ve put one in to help.
N
THER
Ijustwantedto
knowthetruth
about myself…
precious newborn in my arms, I
couldn’t help but think, who were
my real parents? And how could
they have given me away?
So, I decided to do some digging.
And over the next few years, I
gathered bits of information here
and there.
Karen Harris, 56, from Cornwall I learnt that my birth name was
Maxine and my parents had lived
itting on the sofa at

S
next door to each other in Croydon.
seven-years-old, my parents They’d had me young – very
Peter and Sylvia, had young – and were unmarried and
something important they ill-prepared for parenthood, and
wanted to tell me. eventually, it was all just too much
‘You’re adopted, but we love for them.
you so much,’ they said. And that’s how Peter and Sylvia
It was definitely a shock, but I found me – adopting me and
didn’t mind, they’d given me a accepting me as their own.
wonderful childhood. I’m so grateful for them.
And as the years went by, I But now I had this information, I
never saw them any differently. wanted to know more.
Sure, I wondered which of my So, I contacted social services,
biological parents I looked like and and came across the name Margaret
things like that, but I always felt Green, along with the address she
special that Peter and Sylvia had lived at when I was born.
chosen me. I knew it would be a long shot,
It was only when I gave birth to but I decided to write a letter.
my first born, Matthew, that I even And by some miracle, someone
3 letters TURN 7 letters thought about my biological who knew her still lived there and
parents properly. Cradling my
EMU YULE CROQUET
LAG 5 letters LOGICAL
SAD ANGER PLUNDER
SPY EXPEL SMUGGLE
USE PERKY STIRRER
YAP 6 letters 8 letters
4 letters DOSAGE DIVORCEE
ENDEAR GRAVITAS
Words by Holly sawyer Photos: SWNS

LAND ENDURE HIJACKER Peter and

SAGE RIOTER NEEDLESS Sylvia took
me in
TALK STOLID RAILROAD
Trevor and Margaret
had me very young
Your answer _______________________

16 Answer on page 60.

 Reunion

RE YOU ARE!
forwarded the letter o
I had no idea if it
would work, but just a
few days later my
phone rang, and the
first piece of the
puzzle came together.
‘Is this Maxine?’
Margaret asked. ‘I’ve
been looking for you
for years.’
After all this time, sh He was the
hadn’t given up on me missing piece
And so, we wasted n
in arranging to meet.
Within just a few we
was visiting me in my h
Midlands, where she met her
grandson, too.
We chatted away for hours and
she told me that she’d gone on to
have other children.
There was a lot to catch up on, Finally, I had
and soon, we organised for me to
meet my half-siblings. my answers
We all hit it off and we’re still
close now.
I was so happy that finally I was
meeting the family I never thought
I would.
But there was still one very
important person missing – my suggested friends – Trevor Sinden. getting to know each other. told me all about his life and his
biological father. I couldn’t believe it, and I could Realising how much we had in other children.
Margaret told me that his name barely bring myself to click on him. common, he finally twigged. And I told him about my own
was Trevor Sinden and he was an But there he was. Are you my daughter? he asked. grown-up kids, as well as my
electrician, but they’d lost touch 72, an electrician who used to My heart raced, but there was husband, Mark.
many years before. live in Croydon. only one way to reply. There was so much to talk about
I didn’t know if I would ever find The proof was in the pudding – Yes I am. that every silence was filled with
him and for the next 20 years, I he was my father. I was worried that he would stop another burning question.
ether I should search for Hovering over the ‘message’ replying, but he was thrilled. At 56, my family tree has never
button, I was overcome with nerves And so, we agreed to speak on been bigger.
on to have more and excitement. the phone. With my own family, Peter and
en, Laura, 27, Rosie, 23, Pulling myself We got on like a house Sylvia, along with Margaret, Trevor
Harry, 22, life caught up together, I dropped him on fire. and my half-siblings, I have many
h me, but it was Rosie
at helped me find the
a line. My life Nothing felt forced more birthdays to remember!
missing piece of the
I like your pictures,
especially the ones of was and we agreed to meet.
I invited him to come
Now, Margaret and Trevor are
even in contact, too.
Getting to know my biological
puzzle in the end.
‘You should be on
Facebook,’ she said.
you in the Sixties, I
wrote to him. complete while we were on a
five-day holiday in Lyme parents has been truly amazing.
It was a dry first Regis – halfway between And I’m grateful my parents –
I wouldn’t even message, but I wasn’t his home in Kent and my Peter and Sylvia – allowed me to.
know where to start! going to open with; ‘Hi your now home in Cornwall. They’ve supported me my whole
But knowing it was a long lost daughter.’ And so a month later, waiting for life, through all the ups and downs
good way to keep up I didn’t know whether he’d reply, him along the beach path, I couldn’t of this emotional journey.
with my friends, family but within seconds a notification wait to finish the puzzle. I for one couldn’t have done it
d children, I decided to popped up. Swinging his arms around me, without them.
e it a go. Why thank you! he wrote. suddenly my life felt complete. And now, with two sets of
en one day, a familiar For the next few hours, we All those years of wondering, parents, my life is filled with
opped up on my exchanged awkward small talk, finally I had my answers. Trevor nothing but love.

17
 Whale of
a time opus
An oct arts,
s thre e he Feeling
ha h pump blue?
ea c
which
blood.

UNDER THE SEA ebrating the role of the oceans in our everyday lif Keep it down,
will you?
and inspiring action to protect the ocean and
tainably use marine resources. Get your head arou
ese facts and figures to see just how incredible ou
oceans and the creatures that live in them are…
 Our oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface,
but less than 5% have been explored.
 Jellyfish have been around for more than 650 million
years, which means they outdate dinosaurs.
 Dolphins sleep with only half of their brain and with one
eye open so they can watch for predators and other threats.
Dad’s got this  At 188 decibels, the call of a blue whale is the loudest
sound made by any animal on the planet.
 Seahorses are the only animals in which the male, not the
female, gives birth and cares for their young.
 Sharks have an astounding sense of smell, so powerful
that they can detect a single drop of blood in an Olympic-
sized swimming pool.

are What’s that

h ere 40 I smell?
T r
ove rent
e
diff ies of
c
spe phin!
dol
Images: Getty an

Mind the
sting

18

The incredible vets
saved the day
IN A SPIN!
Clare’spupwasnoangelwhenit
cametothewashing…
Clare Holtby-Grey, 52, from York
upping the furry ball of
C cuteness in my hand, she
leapt up and gave me a
slobbery kiss on my nose.
‘I’ll take her!’ I declared
to the breeder.
Last December, I was looking
for a little Jack Russell to welcome
into my home.
And as soon as I lay eyes on this
little pooch, I knew I had to take
her with me.
She was the perfect pup to fill my
broken heart.
‘I’ll call you Angel,’ I whispered.
She had been sent like an angel
from above.
Just months before, I’d lost my
two best furry friends Snoopy, 16,
and Charlie, 14.
While I’d been in Australia,
visiting my son, Joshua, 29, I got a
Words: Lucy Bryant Photos: SWNS
call to say that my eldest dog
Snoopy had to be put down.
‘Goodbye,’ I sobbed to Snoopy
via video call.
My heart broke from the other
side of the world.
And just eight weeks later, my
other Jack Russell Charlie, passed
away from dementia.
‘What are we going to do?’ I
cried to my two beautiful cats,
Dixie and Lala.
I loved having a full house of
furry friends.
‘I’ve definitely got room for
another pet,’ I declared to my
daughter, Hannah, 27.
And then I found Angel.
Despite her touching name, she
was an energetic,
devilish little pup.
She loved having a
nose around the house Bubbles
and getting up to all
sorts of mischief. started
Whether that was
chewing wires or frothing from
creeping into hiding
spots, I had to keep an her mouth
eye on her.
‘You’ll end up a
frazzled furball if you snack
on that!’ I screamed, watching
her bite a loose cable.
She didn’t like to leave my side,
even when I was having a soak in
the bath tub!
‘There you go,’ I sighed, leaving
a chair next to my bubble bath for
her to perch on.
‘You’ll get to meet Angel,’ I
squealed to Joshua on the phone,
He was coming home from
Australia for Christmas, and I
Worried
couldn’t wait to see him.
And just my luck, I was greeted
with a big hug, a present… and a
gigantic pile of washing.
‘Of course, there’s no such thing
as washing machines in Australia,’ I
chuckled.
No matter how old they got, sons
were always the same!
‘I’ll just pop this in the machine
before we eat,’ I said to Joshua.
We were due to have food with
Hannah and her partner Sina, 30.
Stuffing his clothes into the
washer, I pulled a Fairy liquid-tab
out from the cupboard
under the sink.
And just as I went
to grab a sachet, a
furry nose pushed its
way into the box.
‘No, Angel. Stop!’ I
said sternly.
But it was already
too late...
She gobbled the
green and blue sachet
right before my eyes.
‘Oh no!’ I yelped, trying to pry
her mouth open.
Lifting her up under the tap, I
poured water into her throat.
And then she threw up all over
the bathroom floor.
Coughing and spluttering,
bubbles frothed from her mouth
and nose.
It was a horrible sight.
Hannah and Joshua helped me
bundle Angel into a towel and drive
I thought I was
going to lose her
to the local vet.
‘Will she be okay?’ I cried.
I’d already lost two beautiful
Jack Russells.
I couldn’t lose a third.
The vet sent us to an animal
hospital in York.
I watched as Angel’s eyes got
wider in fear.
‘There’s a danger of bubbles
being breathed into her lungs,
causing pneumonia,’ they warned.
The poison could kill her.
‘We can either carry out surgery,
or wait and see if she improves,’
they explained.
Surgery would be risky.
And so, we waited.
Dosed up on anti-sickness tablets
and antibiotics, Angel stayed in the
vets for five days.
‘She’s getting better,’ they said.
She began coughing less.
And then she started to get her
sparkle back.
‘My baby girl!’ I cried, when it
was finally time to take her home.
‘You’re so silly.’
The second I got back home, I
moved the washing tablets to a
higher shelf.
‘No more for you!’ I said.
Her beady eyes looked up at me.
Now, my Angel is certainly back
to her devilish ways, causing
trouble and running around.
But I really wouldn’t have her
any other way.
I’ve got my pup back healthy and
fit, and I’ve learnt to keep a strict
eye on her.
19
 Blimey Red red
Your tips
are genius!
Chocoholic wine
Did you know that you’re meant to snap a
triangle from a Toblerone by bending it towards To get rid of a
the chocolate, not out? Yasmine, Taunton red wine stain,
blot with a paper
towel and then

H E D AY ! cover the entire

A CT O F T stain with salt.

FUN F
Let the salt soak
in and dry befor
vacuuming.
Daisy,
Shropshire

Spread the
love
I buy these little
sachets from
Remember these are YOUR tips - we haven’t tried them ourselves. Stock images: Getty

Amazon. It’s less

wasteful, you can
choose a variety
Beauty tips and the jar of jam
You can make a doesn’t go mouldy.
homemade facemask Great if you don’t
using a cup of (cooled use jam often.
down) green tea, 2 spoons Chantelle, Portsmouth
of rice flour and ½ spoon
of honey. Simply mix,
apply to the face and
leave for 20 minutes! Banana me crazy
Hayley, Dover Bana s contain nutrients that are
tial for potted plants. You can
b kin to
Learn a FEED YOUR P r plant
new skill LANTS! s!
ine,
You can use old
pretty wallpaper pool
or wrapping
paper to create
beautiful
origami. It makes
a great display,
and you can find
lots of tutorials
online.
Louisa, York

20
 Wall stains
BIT
To clean a wall stain,
mix hydrogen peroxide
Have a
rice day ON THE
and baking soda to
create a paste on the
wall. Leave for half an
I always add a
drop of lemon
into my water
SID
hour and wipe off.
F. Rowne, Birmin
when cooking
rice. It stops the GARDEN
rice sticking
together!
Harpreet,
LANTERNS
Light up your home and spr
Swindon garden with t

Ipanema lantern,
£16, Sainsbury’s
Metal lantern,
£6, Habitat

pag e scoop
A great way to evenly measure Ipanema lantern,
£16, Sainsbury’s
mince for homemade meatballs
is to use an ice-cream scoop!
Perfect even sizes.
Jodie, Bristol

Pineapple lantern,
£10, Next
This

INSIDER TIPS mon

th

Vacuum
Hay fever Flower power sh Vacuum your home
Wire lantern,
£15, JD Williams
e
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21
 After convincing my dad to

LO
join me on a diet, it didn’t
end as I planned...
Rhiannon Roberts, 28, Tonypandy, Wales.
anding over a bag full of

H
frequent, I
sweet treats, Dad smiled slowly
over at us all. started
‘It’s for you lot,’ he said piling on
to me, my sister Aleyisha, the pounds.
three, and brothers, Connor, 10 and Missing
Barry, 14. him so
Some people showed their love much,
Words by Holly Sawyer Photos: SWNS

with sweet words, but our dad, three of us

David, always did it armed with a eventually
whole carrier bag full of sugar. ended up living with him for a little over the years,
I was only 12, and still a slim while and it was great fun. which only
little thing but I wasn’t going to say Dad wasn’t like other parents. contributed to the
no to some sweets! Instead of watching the telly, horrendous stroke
After Dad split up with our he’d be painting a beautiful picture he suffered when I
mum, Marina, and moved out, he’d of the moon and every summer was 21.
often pop round with sweets and we’d head all over the country for Thankfully, he
treats as a way to show just how medieval reenactments. recovered but had
much he was missing us all. He absolutely loved getting all lost all the feeling
And all of us dressed up in full armour and on his right side.
definitely missed fighting with swords! It meant he had
him too. ‘Come on, get involved,’ he’d to give up his job
But with say, helping me fashion an outfit. as a caterer which
Dad’s By the time I was 16, I already he loved.
little treats had a hefty pair of bosoms and I Between
becoming was officially made a wench! treatment for the
more and Wrestling myself into a corset for stroke and his
more the first time, I could barely breathe meds for type 2
But I couldn’t stop smiling. diabetes, Dad
Dad loved the re-enactments, so I suddenly seemed
did, too! so frail.
Only, by the time I’d hit college, I I was so worried
was spending all my spare money about him, but it
on crisps and junk food. didn’t occur to me
I was blind to my growing frame, to be worried
but Mum wasn’t too happy. about my size, too.
‘You should try dieting,’ she Around the
suggested gently one day. same time as
She was always slim though, so Dad’s stroke, I met
how did she know what I needed? my boyfriend,
Ryan, 23.
It was always Dad that had
fought the bulge in the past. He wasn’t We were determ
He was always big and hadn’t bothered by my
weight and
ined...
taken care of himself
loved me just
as I was,
even popping
the question
in 2012.
‘I can’t how big I was!
wait to walk you down the As the midwife gave me dieting
aisle,’ Dad sniffed, when I advice, I could feel my cheeks
told him the good news. burning bright red.
But life always seemed to So, after Alexis-Rose was born
get in the way, and wedding that December, I tried to eat better
planning was and move a lot more.
put on the Dad was soon besotted
back burner.
Then, in
I knew we with her and I was
desperate for him to be
2016, I fell
pregnant.
both needed around to watch her
grow up.
We were
both thrilled.
to change ‘What about joining
Slimming World with
‘You’re me?’ I asked him, in a
over 23st,’ the bid to get us both fit.
midwife told me as I ‘Course,’ he agreed.
went for my first Joining us was Ryan’s sister
appointment. Skye, 26, his mum, Pauline, 52 and
I wasn’t taking Dad had always I was gobsmacked. my sister-in-law Jillian, 28.
care of myself been bigger 19 stone, 20 maybe - but Dad weighed in at around 19st,
23?! I’d had no idea just but thankfully, our first meeting

22
 Heartbreaking
people how hard I’d worked and
just how much I’d lost.
Walking into the room, I was

G TTLE
welcomed back with lots of flowers
and hugs.
It was emotional, but I got
through it.
And just two months later, we
had some happy news to share.
I found out I was expecting a
little brother for Alexis-Rose.
Jaxon-David, named after Dad,
was born in September 2019.
This time, I stuck at my diet all
through my pregnancy.
Now, I’m just 13st and wear a
size 12-14.
I’m so proud of how far I’ve
come and I know my dad would
be too.
quickly whereas see you at Slimming World again I just want to lose another stone
for Dad, it took a tomorrow,’ I said. before Ryan and I tie the knot later
little longer. ‘See you then,’ he agreed. this year.
Within a But in the early hours the next I wish Dad could be there, but
matter of morning, Mum my brothers will take on
months, my called me. his role of walking me
tummy slimmed
and Dad’s gut
‘Your dad’s had a
heart attack,’ she told
I thought down the aisle.
But I’ll be thinking of
had vanished.
One day, I
me on the phone.
We all rushed to
I could him every step of the way.
When I started all this, I
finally found the
perfect wedding
the Royal
Glamorgan hospital
save Dad was convinced I was
doing it to save Dad.
dress online. to see Dad. In reality though, he
‘It’s only But there was nothing was saving me.
£100,’ I gasped, doctors could do. I’ll never go back to my old,
showing it I’d hoped and prayed that our unhealthy ways now.
to Dad. diets would keep us both here for My kids won’t go through the
‘I’ll get you years to come, but it hadn’t worked same pain I have.
that when the for Dad. I’ll look after myself for them
time comes,’ The doctors said he was likely and for Dad.
he smiled. brain dead. I know he’ll always be looking
In October By his side, I watched as Dad down on me.
2018, our group slipped away that bonfire
voted for the night in 2018.
annual prize He was just 55.
ceremony where Only a week earlier
the winners had he been celebrating The weight fell off
would be his win at Slimming
crowned Mr World with me.
Sleek and Miss He was the fittest he’d
Slinky. ever been.
‘And the The following week, I
winners are...’ forced myself back to
the group leader the group again.
announced. It felt impossible, but I
‘David and knew how much Dad
Rhiannon would have wanted me
Roberts.’ there. He loved to tell
was a right laugh. ‘Oh my gosh ’
All of us being there together, we I stammered, climbing to my
felt at home straight away. and accepting a bunch of flow
I weighed in at 21st 7lb, feeling In just 10 months, I’d lost n
chuffed that I’d lost a bit of my 9st altogether!
weight already. I felt and looked better than
Soon, I was having salads instead had in ages.
of nipping to Greggs at lunch for a But despite it all, I’d never
calorific sarnie. felt prouder than I had
Instead of frozen pizzas, I’d looking at Dad that day.
make homemade potato stews and He was chuffed to bits.
the weight just continued to fall off. ‘I just wanted to say thank
Before long, Pauline and Jillian you for your support,’ he
had lost the weight they’d wanted, grinned to the group.
which just left me, Dad and Skye in He was four stone down
the group. and was walking easier and
‘Who’s going to have lost the managed to cut down on most
most this week?’ Dad would grin, of his diabetes meds.
as he plonked himself next to me at Still buzzing from his win t He was so
the meeting. week, we chatted on the phon proud of me
Luckily, it was nearly always me! about heading to some bonfire
Being young, I lost the pounds night displays that weekend. ‘

23
 Confide l
The next move
Q My mum has been dominated by my
dad for years. He isn’t violent but he
is controlling, and I know she’s unhappy,
waiting on him hand and foot. When I say
something, Mum says it’s just how it’s
always been. How can I help her? What to do?
Billie, London

A I wonder if your mum has said she’s

Katharine Hill, the UK Director
of the national charity Care
For The Family (www.cff.org.
uk) answers your questions.
unhappy, or is this your reading of the
situation? There can be quite big differences
between the generations, and older couples
can sometimes tend to embrace more
‘traditional’ household roles that would not be
acceptable to younger couples.
Is it possible that your mum is saying; ‘it’s
just how it’s always been’ as a way of helping
you to understand that their normal is just
different to yours?
If, however, your mum is genuinely
unhappy, then it would be sensible to get
some professional advice about how to go
about changing the situation for the better.
This won’t happen overnight, because the
patterns of behaviour have been reinforced
over many years, but small steps could help
their relationship to become more healthy.

So sad
Tough times ahead
Q Our family dog is unwell,
and we are facing having
to put him down. Our kids,
aged eight and six, have never
experienced loss. How can I
prepare them?
Joanna, Dorset
Out of balance
Q My boyfriend and I constantly argue
about money. I earn more than him and unhurried time to discuss your findings with
feel like I should pay more for things – but
then I get resentful. It’s not my fault
I make more. How can it ever b
fair? Tara, Birmingham
A This is very common.
Disagreements over
money are one of the most
common causes of tension in
a relationship.
We are often influenced by
outside factors.
When we enter a new
relationship or get married, we Talk to him
have to work out how to combin
two potentially different sets of
and mindsets on money.
The best way to avoid arguments is to
make a plan that you can both agree to. Sit
down by yourself and have a think about
what would seem fair to you. Ask your
boyfriend to do the same, then choose an
one another.
When you are thinking about your side,
it’s important to factor in that your
partner does not have your
spending power.
So, for example, would you
rather go halves on paying
for a holiday that would
sit comfortably within his
budget? Or would you prefer
to pay extra and upgrade
both of you?
Are there particular areas
of spending where you feel it’s
important to pay an equal share,
recognising that your boyfriend’s
income will decide your overall budget?
By discussing this together, I hope you’ll
be able to move forwards in a positive way.

A Bereavement and loss

can be difficult at any age,
whether it relates to a much-
loved pet or a family member.
Breaking the news
The fact that you are asking It will hurt her I have been supporting my best friend through
how to prepare your kids for years of infertility struggles and now I’m pregnant
this situation shows that you are and I feel so guilty, I haven’t even told her. How can I
approaching it with sensitivity. make it less painful for her? Hayley, Leeds
Try to be open with your
children. They will have noticed
that your dog is unwell, so start
A Congratulations on your pregnancy! It’s important that
you don’t let such selfless concern for your friend stop
you enjoying and making the most of this very special time.
there and use simple, clear
You have absolutely nothing to feel guilty about.
words to explain that he may not
Unfortunately there simply isn’t a way to make this news
get better and may die.
less painful for your best friend. You understand that she’ll
Encourage their questions,
find it difficult to hear, so you might think carefully about
and talk about emotions. When,
Images: Getty

when and how you tell her, but I hope she’ll also be able to
sadly, your dog has passed
be happy for you – even if it’s through her tears.
away, help your children to
You can rely on the foundation of friendship that you
find an appropriate way to say
have built together: true friends stick with one another
goodbye to him.
through the ups and downs of life.

24

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25
 It had been a fairy-tale

KILLER
wedding, but eight days
later the groom was dead…
hey were picture perfect wedding day on 29

T newlyweds – Jordan Linn

Graham and Cody
Johnson posed for
wedding photos under
June 2013, she
laughed and cried
tears of happiness.
Finally, the
floating bubbles blown by guests. couple were
Jordan, 22, looked stunning in living together
a borrowed strapless gown with a in Kalispell,
ribbon bow around the waist. Montana.
Her tiara sparkled and she It should have
wore a symbol of love around her been the perfect
neck – a heart-shaped necklace. ending to their
Beaming Cody, 25, wore a blue romance – but
suit with a flawless white rose the bride was
pinned to his lapel. having second
Later that day, the couple thoughts.
moved onto the dance floor. I should be
They’d had a song especially happy, and I’m
composed and sung for them by a just not, she text
songwriter called You’re Mine. a friend, worried
As the bride wiped away happy she’d married
tears, it seemed like the perfect too young.
start to the rest of their lives as a On 7 July, just
married couple. eight days after
But eight days later, Cody was the wedding,
dead, leaving Jordan a widow. she sent another
His body was found at the text to say she
bottom of a ravine. was going to
There was one question on talk to Cody
everyone’s lips. about it.
Did he fall – or was he pushed? If you don’t
In December 2012, Jordan, hear from me
who her friends called Jo-Jo, again tonight,
announced her engagement by something
posting a picture of her hand with happened, she
red painted nails on a social wrote.
networking site. She didn’t
If anyone had missed the
significance of the diamond ring
explain why.
That evening,
Jordan ended their
on her finger, then the ecstatic
message cleared it up.
Jordan claimed
that Cody had
marriage while stood at
He proposed!! Best Christmas
present ever!! she wrote.
text her to say
he was going for the edge of a cl iff...
Jordan’s new fiancé was a drive with
handsome Cody. some friends from out of state.
They’d been together two She watched him drive off in a
years – Cody adored Jordan and dark coloured car for a ‘joyride.’ es
would have given her anything. Then he never came back. made it a popular hiking spot.
Jordan was a nanny, and The next morning, when he When asked to show the text A park ranger said it was unusual
friends said she had a childlike failed to show up for work, he was from her husband, she couldn’t. that she had found the body – how
naivety about her. reported missing by a ‘We always delete the messages had she known he was at the park?
She was religious and from each other,’ she claimed. ‘It was a place he wanted to see
was living with mily and friends were before he died,’ she replied.
parents until erate to find Cody. But with a park of over a million
after she and hey put up missing posters all acres, with 130 lakes, how had she
Cody were nd the neighbourhood, seen him?
married. ding for information. Cody’s body was at the bottom of
Brunette rdan went to the police and a hiker’s route called The Loop.
Jordan quickly she’d received an email from a The terrain was so steep and
got swept up in nd of Cody’s called Tony. rocky, that a helicopter and
Words by Gail Shortland Images: Instagram

planning her t said to call off the search specialised rescue team had to be
wedding. ause he’s dead. called in to reach the body that was
She showed She had even told her friends 300ft down.
off her ring at she wanted to ‘keep the cops When Cody’s body was reported
while she picke ut of it.’ found, the community felt deeply
flowers and had Her behaviour was starting to for Jordan – they had been married
custom first dan tract suspicion. just over a week and she was
song composed. On 11 July, Jordan was the already a widow.
Friends worr first person to report a sighting Jordan posted a photo of them
that she just of Cody’s body at the bottom of together on their wedding day on a
wanted the big d a ravine at the Glacier National social networking site.
– rather than Co She’d shown off ark, Montana. The caption read; Miss you so
But on the her engagement Its rugged snow-capped much Cody! Not a day will go by

26
R BRIDE
ad been a simple prosecution had a different story
ccident, why to tell.
adn’t she reported They showed the jurors a
t? picture of Cody smiling – then
She hadn’t even one of him face down dead in a
hecked to see if pool of water.
e’d survived the They said Jordan was having
all – instead she second thoughts about her
eft her husband marriage when she’d lured him
ead at the bottom to the cliff.
f a cliff. She’d told Cody that she
Jordan was didn’t love him and they’d got
harged with into an argument.
murder and put Cody probably asked for an
nder house arrest annulment – unable to face life
parents’ home. with a new bride who had lied
en the trial started while taking her vows.
in December 2013 in Then Jordan had shoved him

E ME Missoula Federal Court, off the cliff to his death.

XTR Jordan pleaded not guilty They presented texts between

IL
to first degree murder.
E
Jordan and her friend that

EV
Her defence team told
the court that Cody’s death
wasn’t intentional.
Sh
She had been unhappy
n the days after her
wedding and was unsure
about how Cody was going
o take the news.
They’d gone for a hike at
he park and had gone down
steep slope.
After finding
hemselves on a
arrow ledge over
ravine, they Cody had
ad argued.
She’d had Jordan claimed fallen to
second thoughts
ody had grabbed
r by the arm and his death
e’d instinctively
showed her having second
thoughts and worrying she
‘couldn’t pull herself together.’
They painted her as a cold
woman who didn’t want to be
married to Cody – so rather than
leaving him, she killed him.
Why tell your husband the
marriage is over on a cliff?
Before closing arguments,
Jordan shocked everyone by
changing her plea to
second-degree murder.
In exchange for her
guilty plea,
prosecutors agreed to
drop a charge of
premeditated first
degree murder and a
count of making a

JORDAN GRAHAM
shed back. false statement to authorities.
Then she pushed him with She’d avoid a life sentence.
o hands in the back. At the last minute, she tried to
I just pushed…’ she withdraw that, too, because she
mitted. ‘I wasn’t thinking felt it still made the killing
out where we were.’ sound too ‘intentional’ and the
where I don’t Her defence showed the sentence she faced was too high.
think about you!! cliff ‘face first’. court wedding photos and a The withdrawal was denied.
You will live on in ‘He went to grab my arm and my video of their first dance to During sentencing, District
my heart jacket and I said no, I said I’m not illustrate their love. Judge Donald Molloy said he’d
forever!! I know going to let this happen this time, They insisted that Jordan did seen no remorse from Jordan.
you’re in a better place now I’m going to defend myself. So I let care and that’s why she eventually ‘There’s only one person in
looking down on me!! You’re my go and I pushed and he went over led authorities to the body. But the this room that knows what
angel!! Love you with all my heart and then I
and soul!! See you again one day!!! she was r
Cody’s family insisted on an After h
investigation – something just Jordan sa
didn’t add up and Jordan’s story driven an
was constantly changing. Thankf
She was acting surprisingly cold keys in he
considering what she was going ‘I was
through, and police knew she was
having regrets over the
The bride was taken
questioning and her sto
started to unravel.
CCTV at Glacier
National Park showed
Jordan and Cody
there together.
On 16 July, she
admitted that she had
gone with Cody to
the park to talk.
Jordan said they’d They were
argued when she’d Why didn’t she married for
questioned their
marriage and he’d call for help? eight days
accidentally fallen off t

27
 At h e What’s hot
this issue

be
Two metallic chairs,
n’t £60, Habitat
Do id to
afra and
mix tch!
ma
Palm cushion,
Pink dome table lamp, £12, Matalan
£16, Dunelm.

Lizard Ornament.
£18, Very

Fruit basket,
£6, Matalan

Typhoon Otto Bread Bin,

£24.99, Studio.co.uk
brigh
Mix metals to give your
home some glamour…
Set of 2 hammered
vases, £30, Very

Brighton Metal
Bedframe, Ombre tumbler,
from £179, Very £3.50, Matalan

28
 Grey Textured Glass
Table Lamp,
Feather Mirror, £16.99, Studio.co.uk
£40, Very

Bird photoframe,
£7, Tesco

Barrel vase.
£10, Tesco

Wine rack,
£25, John Lewis

16 piece cutlery
set, £28, Next

Money tree,
£5, Morrisons
Crane old gold curtains,
Alphabet mug, from £60, Dunelm.
dd me
accesso tal
£5, Tesco

or a su ries
bt
touch le

Gold pack of 4 red wine

glasses, £17, Dunelm.
Copper dish drainer,
£10, Habitat
Gold Tealight Holder,
£6, Home Essentials
Harper drinks trolley,
£129, Dunelm.

Salter Metallic Blue Smoked crystal tealight

4-Piece Storage Set, holder, £15, Dunelm.
£26.99, Studio.co.uk

29
 JUST F
The biggie!
What do Twilight actress 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
FU
8 9 10 11
Kristen Stewart and
music superstar Taylor 12

Swift do despite their 13 14 15

svelte appearances? To
find out, solve the
crossword then read
down the shaded squares 16 17 18

to find the answer. 19

ACROSS 20 21 22 23 24

1 Works’ restaurant (7) 25

5 Tiny red beetle with black spots (8)
9 List of players in the play (4) 26 27 28 29 30

13 Italian sauce made with basil (5) 31 32 33

14 Details on an envelope (7)
15 Large, three-pronged spear (7) 34 35 36 37
16 Sound of a plucked guitar string (5)
17 Little (5)
38

18 Medical practitioner (6) 39 40

20 Illumination (5)
21 Pattern allowing multiple uses when 41

painting (7) 42 43 44
23 Travel document allowing entry to a
45
country (4)
26 Boast (4) 46 47 48 49
27 Magnetic instrument that points north
(7) 50 51 52

30 Passes on a disease (7) 53 54 55 56

34 Closely cropped hair (4,3)
36 Cardboard cover for a vinyl LP (6) 57

37 Share an opinion (5) 58 59 60 61 62

39 Snap a picture or two (10)
40 Glass structure for raising young or 63 64 65

sensitive plants (10) 66 67 68

42 Untidy, cluster (5)
43 Savage, vicious and cruel (6)
44 Set fire to (7)
46 Forerunner (7)
69 70 71

47 Thrive and flourish (7)

48 Rip (4) 69 Partner in war and peace (4) 8 Duty roster (4) be stamped with a 23 Across (8) 52 Pardoned, excused (8)
53 Gusty weather feature (4) 70 Shrove Tuesday treats (8) 10 Delegate (5) 31 Go along with, chaperone (9) 56 Stage for public speaking (7)
54 Container full of hammers, 71 Childish fit of temper (7) 11 Study meeting between 32 Protective garments (8) 57 Test episode of a TV
screwdrivers, spanners and so on (7) DOWN students and teacher (8) 33 Team member whose stops programme (5)
55 Happen (5) 1 Country’s principal city (7) 12 Turf hacked by a golfer (5) the opposition scoring (8) 59 Nearby pub (5)
58 Fresh cream-cake with a chocolate 2 Yearning for the past (9) 19 Instrument, many keys (5) 35 Art of speaking (9) 61 Special talent,
coating (6) 3 Make more extended (8) 22 Manipulated a salad to coat 38 Cat-like (6) 63 Whisky mixer (4)
60 Twin - - -, classic 1990s enigmatic 4 Undiluted, especially of a with dressing (6) 41 Hi-fi unit (6) 64 Rumpus and bother (4)
mystery series (5) spirit drink (4) 24 Butt in (9) 45 Bus station (5) 65 Plan secretly and often
62 Swallows hastily (5) 5 Covers for saucepans (4) 25 Loud-hailer (9) 49 Moving staircase (9) malignantly (4)
6 Sleeping vision (5) 26 Hiker's rucksack (8) 50 Plant with flowers (8)
Images : PA

66 Small musical pipe (7) Your answer

67 Slowly progressive (7)
68 Marks the ballot with a cross (5)
30
7 White bar across the back of a 28 Public protest (6) 51 Having a hypersensitive
_________________
tennis court (4,4) 29 Travel document that might reaction to something (8)
Answer on page 60.
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when she arrives at The ultimate queen of
Heatherbrae House, creepy crime.
she is smitten by the Prepare to feel
luxurious modern suspense from the first
home and picture- gripping page to the last
perfect family. What shocking twist.

Guaranteed to
Awakening of Spies by make you smile
Brian Landers Disney+
Words by Tabatha Sherborne Stock images: Getty

The new streaming service that

PAPERBACK/EBOOK - £8.99 everyone is talking about – Disney+.
Thomas Dylan is an unlikely spy. Rejected by It’s been a long time coming, but
MI6, he joins the Ministry of Defence where his first Disney has finally given us what we’ve
mission is a total failure. always wanted! Now, we can watch
Unexpectedly, he is sent to Rio de Janeiro, our favourite Disney, Pixar, Marvel,
where he discovers that those supposedly on his Star Wars and National Geographic
side, have their own priorities. And his life is films and series all in one place.
definitely not one of them. From hit movies to timeless classics
A murderous game is being played out in a city and new originals – there’s something
of sun, sea and secret police. for everyone.
But who can he trust? And how will he make it Enjoy the big screen experience
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This fast-paced thriller set in the 1970s is the or phone. And watch on four screens at
first novel in The Dylan Series, following novice the same time! The only question left
spies Thomas and Julia Dylan. to ask – which film first?
Due out 25 June – don’t miss it! £5.99 a month

31
 SPICE OF LIFE!
W
ant to improve your skills in the kitchen? Get ready
for a flavour sensation with these top tips from
spice kit brand Spicentice.com.
Spice expert Ketan Varu says: ‘Food is always better
when it’s been properly seasoned, but many home cooks
are weary about experimenting with spices, but there’s no
need to be intimidated by your spice cupboard!’
Ketan shares his top tips when it comes to cooking with
10 common spices…

Cardamom Oregano
This warm, aromatic Used in

T
spice is widely used in Mediterranean, Italian

FIRS
ndian cuisine. It’s also and Cuban cooking, it is

eat in baked goods
en combined with
e and cinnamon.
ayenne Pepper
Made from dried and
ground red chilli
peppers, it adds a sweet
heat to soups, braises,
and spice mixes.
Cinnamon
Found in almost every
world cuisine, cinnamon
serves double duty in
both sweet and savoury
dishes. It goes well with
IN
amazingly fresh,
peppery and aromatic.
Great with vegetables,
meat and fish, and with
beans.
Paprika
It can be sweet, hot or
smoky. You can get a
spicier version labelled
‘hot páprika’. Used in
stews, goulash, or as
part of a dry rub. A great
kick to burgers on the
Mypetsnake,Allan,suredidgiveus
grill.
Rosemary
a scare... Ellie Bond, 25, Nottingham
cratching his underbelly, chinchillas and even a giant African

apples, beef, chocolate,
in curries, stews and
spicy dishes.
Cumin
Smoky and earthy,
S
Strong and piney, it is
great with eggs, beans my pet snake, Allan, was land snail.
more than happy to sit and Allan was my first snake, and I
and potatoes, as well as watch Gogglebox with me. loved him.
grilled meats. Great for He’d glide out his tank to He was a gentle soul - shy but
adding to soup or used greet me and soon curl up in my friendly to people he trusted.
Words by Katie Pearson Photos: SWNS

cumin is used a lot in
Mexican, North African,
Middle Eastern and
Indian dishes. It is great
in curries, soups, stews
and spice rubs or with
beans.
Ginger
With a spicy, zesty
bite, fresh ginger is great
in stir fries and
marinades, or grated in
cookies and muffins.
Ground ginger works
well in curries and
Images: Getty
when grilling. arms on the sofa. And although feeding time could
Saffron Allan was a corn snake and I’d be a bit gross, I soon got used to
It has a very subtle but had him since 2011, when he dropping dead rats into his
distinct flavour that slithered into my life as a baby. vivarium for him.
adds a bitterness to He was so little, he could curl up As Christmas rolled around, we
food. It is used mostly in my hands like a pretzel. couldn’t leave little Allan on his
And with a name like Allan, he own while me and my boyfriend,
with fish and rice, and a wasn’t exactly considered Lewis, 26, visited my parents.
key ingredient in paella. threatening to most people! At 25, I was working as a
Turmeric Besides, I’d had a whole host of pri
Sometimes used more unusual pets before including rats
for its yellow colour than
its flavour, turmeric has
a very milk woodsy
flavour. Used in many
We were on our way
curry powders. to visit my parents

baking.

32
 Slippery

uck
He’s had enough
entures for a while!

ST GEAR!
Nottingham to set
up home
with Lewis.
Loading up my
Citroen C1, we
place Allan’s
vivarium into the
boot, ready for the
two hour drive up to Allan had esc
my parents house
in Oldham.
aped!
‘I’ll just check on
Allan,’ I told Lewis
we stopped off
halfway for a break.
But as I looked in o discover chaos unfolding on not poisonous,’ I reassured them.
tank, my blood wen the driveway! They drilled along the tube of
almost as cold as his ‘Cup of tea?’ my mum, metal that was trapping Allan,
Allan had vanishe Angela asked, bewildered by while Angela protected him from
The glass doors h A crew of firemen everything that was going on. the flying sparks with a slightly
been pushed open a came to the rescue Lewis removed the chair, damp towel.
inches and he’d ealing Allan’s terrified little face After an hour, Allan was able to
bviously scarpered. in this car! Lewis explained. beneath it. wriggle free into Angela’s arms.
‘Don’t panic,’ Lewis reassured. ‘Let’s carry on to Oldham and But he was stuck in a metal tube. I was so relieved.
‘He’s somewhere in the car.’ pull the car apart then.’ ‘He’s fat right now - he ate a rat ‘Thank you so much,’ I gulped to
Frantically, we both emptied Pulling up at my parents house, I just two days ago,’ I panicked. the firemen.
he car, but Allan was still immediately started emptying the With snow starting to fall, we ‘No problem,’ they smiled.
owhere to be seen. car of stuff. whacked the heating on full blast. Angela checked Allan over and
‘What if he’s fallen out on the From Christmas presents, to I was worried treated two small grazes
motorway and been squashed,’ I pillows, everything was flung all Allan would get too on his scales with a bit of
worried. ‘There aren’t any holes over the ground.
Only, there was still no sign of
cold and die.
We greased him
Allan was salt water.
He was exhausted, so
Allan.
ewis grabbed my dad’s toolbox,
with butter, but
nothing was working.
trapped in we popped him back in
his tank to snuggle on
Luckily, Allan
has made a
started searching for him.
can see his tail!’ he shouted
It was 9pm and I
was starting to panic.
the car! his heat mats.
By morning, he was
full recovery r finally. Allan had been back to his usual self and
I burst into tears of relief. stuck for nearly five hours, wriggling about.
Plunging my hand in, Allan so I decided it was best to call Although he wasn’t ready to
curled the tip of his tail around the RSPCA. leave his tank for a cuddle just yet.
my fingers and I gently pulled. ‘My snake’s trapped in my car,’ I He’d had enough adventures for
But he was stuck! gulped through tears. a little while!
‘His head’s under the seat I Inspector Angela Paxton-Taylor And we’ve definitely learnt our
think,’ Lewis said, starting to soon arrived on the scene and lesson now.
unscrew it. called for the fire brigade. If we ever need to travel
At the same time, Mum and ‘They’ll come out for a snake?’ I anywhere with him, we pop Allan
ad arrived back home from asked, bemused. in a pillow case which Lewis holds
e airport. But they soon arrived on the on his knees.
hey’d just returned from a scene, with five firemen squashing Allan certainly won’t be trying to
xing holiday in Benidorm only into my tiny car to free Allan. ‘He’s slither away again any time soon!

33
 Fa The best of
hat’s new

M&
Bikini,
£31.50

Blouse,
£35

S
tay ahead of the trends
with Marks and Spence
new in women’s clothin
Whether you’re shopping for
summer staples or you’re aft
statement jewellery pieces, Dress,
£49.50
you’ll fall in love with their latest Earrings,
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34
 Bring ch
Bracelet,
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ea
the b our
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e
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box

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35
 JUST FOR
Code cracke
Country music legend Dolly Parton once said
‘I’m not offended by dumb blonde jokes
because I know I'm not dumb, and I also know…’
what? To find out, solve the puzzle... Fill in 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 three-word answer. We’ve given you four
letters to start you off.
CO
4 18 18 19 26 2 20 19 10 26

18 19 20 20 2 14

13 20 18 26 6 12 20 15 13 26

26 1 1 20 26 6

21 20 25 21 20 8 20 6 5

26 4 4 16

15 20 7 9 24 7 24 24 18 26

24 15 26 17 10

7 26 1 1 13 26 23 4 1 26
K I T E
11 6 4 20 5 6

21 24 15 12 24 15 13 4 7

3 13 26 18 18 1
I’m proud of my scars!
19 12 13 11 1 19 17 26 5 24

20 26 22 6 14

6 24 11 20 13 5 6 24 10 26

1 20 25 13

20 18 1 6 24 7 20 19 1
I never thought I’d need a hip
20 20 4 4 13 23
replacement at the age of 23!
Eleanor Farr, 25, Cheshire morning after my virtual class, I
was in agony.
22 24 13 24 7 12 6 26 26 7
pinning around on a metal

S
A searing pain shot through my
pole at home, I was at a left shoulder.
4 18 26 21 7 26 virtual pole dancing class Worried, I rang my mum Susie,
and loving it. back home in Malpas, Cheshire.
Words by Katie Pearson Photos: SWNS

5 6 20 16 1 1 4 1 13 26 ‘It’s a great way to keep ‘What if I’ve dislocated it on the

fit!’ I explained to friends. pole,’ I said to her.
‘Plus it helps me build up my ‘I’m sure you’d know about it if
strength to lug all my heavy you’d done that,’ she reassured me.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 cameras around.’ ‘But go and get it checked out
T I I was a photography student at just in case.’
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Leeds University and was loving The following day, I went
K E the student lifestyle. straight to my GP.
Although, it wasn’t all partying ‘I can barely move it,’ I told him,
Your answer _______________________ and takeaways for me. in total agony.
I made sure I kept fit, too. But the ‘Any other joint problems?’ he

36 Answer on page 60.

 Painful

OME OF AGE memories for me to capture now,’

I sighed, totally fed up.
Before this had all happened, I
had a couple of modelling jobs.
Looking back at those pictures,
I wondered where that confident,
care-free girl had gone.
Cheshire contest, but had sadly
missed the deadline.
‘They’ve put me straight through
to the Miss England competition,’ I
squealed to Mum.
Strutting down the catwalk in a
red strapless dress, I felt amazing.
‘I feel like an 80-year-old My scar from the surgery was
wasting away,’ I said to Mum. even visible in the swimwear
‘We’ll get you through it all,’ round, but I wasn’t bothered.
she soothed. ‘I didn’t know if I’d even walk
I needed a hip Thankfully she was right and again,’ I told the judges.
replacement very slowly, I started to feel better I made it through to the final 20
and better. and was so proud.
As time went on, the pain I’d come such a long way!
started to drift away as the Now, I own my own
medication began to work and photography studio and have a
gradually, the old me returned. wonderful boyfriend, Danny, 26.
I went back to uni after a year It certainly didn’t happen
off and finally got my degree. overnight, but I finally feel like the
But by now, with the arthritis old me is back!
taking its toll, I
needed a hip
replacement.
‘You barely
have any left There’s no
hip,’ the stopping me now!
consultant
explained to
Slowly, the me at an
pain subsided appointment.
At just 23, I
had to have a hip
replacement,
something I
never thought
quizzed me. like my wrist is being crushed to would happen at
‘Sometimes my feet hurt in dust in a vice,’ I sobbed to my mum my young age.
the cold but nothing too bad,’ I on the phone. But, I didn’t let
explained to him. It was a real knock to my it stop me or hold
I had some blood tests, but confidence and it was starting to me back from
wasn’t too worried as the pain in make me feel really anxious. doing the things
my shoulder I rarely went out and I wanted.
eventually eased. prefered to stay in my Last year, I
But, just a couple of room at uni as much entered the Miss
months later I
received an
I thought as possible.
‘I just can’t do it I wasn’t sure I’d
appointment at the
Chapel Allerton
only old anymore,’ I wept to
Mum at the end of m
be able to walk
Hospital in Leeds.
‘You have
people got second year.
We decided it wa
rheumatoid arthritis,’
the consultant
arthritis best to put my
studies on hold
explained to me. and I came home
‘I’ve got what?’ I to rest up.
gasped in shock. Some days, I was barely
Arthritis was for old people, how able to walk to the kitchen for
could I have it at 19? a cup of tea.
‘We can give you medication to With photography being my
help,’ he said. passion, I loved to take snaps
But as the months went on, the whenever I could.
pain only seemed to get worse, Now, I was barely taking any
spreading around my body. ‘I feel ‘Well I’m not making any

37
 The community
lived in fear
STILL
THE LONG
ISLAND KILLER
n December 2010, while clear this had been going on Someofthemost
I out on a routine training
exercise in Long Island,
New York, a police officer
and his dog stumbled across a
burlap sack.
for some time.
Over the course of the
investigation, police were able
to identify five of the 10
remains that had been found,
infamousserial
killershavenever
ords by Rosie Crass, Hannah Poon, Nia Dalton and Laea Marshall Images: Getty and Alamy

Inside, they discovered the and most belonged to female

skeletal remains of a woman.
After carrying out a further
inspection of the north side of
sex workers.
However, the
remains of an
beencaught...
Ocean Parkway, Suffolk unidentified toddler

SM LEY FACE ILLE

County police discovered three
more bodies, all stuffed in
burlap bags.
They’d been scattered across
Long Island’s South Shore, and
were also found.
Police believed the
murders began as early
as 1996, but with no
suspects, they couldn’t across the affected
states disputed their

A
police knew that they know for sure.
had a serial killer on Police and the
their hands. press believed
‘Four bodies Noarrests that the killer
was a white
found in the same
location pretty
wereever male in his early
much speaks for
itself,’ Police
made to mid 20’s, but
there was no
Commissioner evidence.
Richard Dormer said. As the
And just a few months later, investigation continued,
in March 2011, four more there were at least five
bodies were found in another suspects, but no formal
area off the parkway. arrests were ever made.
As some of them were now With a dangerous killer
nothing more than skeletal running around Long
remains, it was Island, there was a
growing fear within the
local community.
Women feared for
their lives, but to this
Human remains day, the Long Island
washed up Killer remains unknown.
And while 10 bodies
were found, there’s only
one person who knows
just how many victims
there were.
Police believe the
killing spree spanned
across 20 years, but still
free, no one will ever
know for sure.
s the bodies of fit a profile.
young men The men were all claims, saying there
started to wash popular, athletic, was little evidence,
across
up in waterways
several US
successful students, and that the smiley
face was a commonly
and most of them
states, detectives were white. graffitied symbol.
became suspicious. Gannon and Duarte
The men were all
But the most chilling
link between them all haven’t given up,
thought to have was the smiley faces though, and today
drowned accidentally, graffitied near remain convinced that
even being ruled so in locations where their the killers are still on
courts of law. bodies were thought the loose.
But for two New to be dumped. According to them,
York City detectives, The nearest the smiley face killers
Kevin Gannon and man-made structure could be one of the
Anthony Duarte, to each victim had most dangerous
there appeared to been etched with the groups in America.
be a link. eerie spray-painted If that’s the case
Trawling through smiley faces. and nobody’s paying
evidence spanning As the now retired attention, who knows
from the late 1990s detectives looked into when they might
to the 2010s, the the cases more strike again?
officers believed closely, they became
that there was a convinced the crimes The mark of
connection were linked, believing a killer?
between the the men were
deaths of the 45 targeted by an
college-aged men. individual or an
Most of the organised group
bodies were found of killers.
after a night of But their unique
drinking, and theory could never
according to the be proven.
detectives, they Police forces

38
 EME
HERE THE MAD BUTCHER
OF KINGSBURY RUN
The area was
dangerous

TR
EX LS
VI
E
etween 1934 and 1938, 13
people were decapitated
along Kingsbury Run in
Cleveland, Ohio.
The murders ended as abruptly
as they began…
In the 1930s, Kingsbury Run
was a dark and dangerous place. Many were
Train tracks ran along the river,
and the area was home to bars, decapitated
brothels and gambling dens.
In this grim setting, the most September 1934, a man found the
notorious murder case in the lower half of a woman’s torso
city’s history would unfold. In washed up on the shores.
Exactly one year later, two

THE ZODIAC KILLER

teenagers discovered the
decapitated body of a white male.
Nearby, police discovered a
second emasculated body.
His victims In 1936, four more corpses
were found dead along the river
, – all dismembered.
Four weeks stabbing Cecelia Shepard Six killings in just over a year,
ater, three of and Bryan Hartnell on a lake and the police had no suspects.
he city’s shore in Napa Valley. Safety Director Eliot Ness got
ewspapers A cryptic message for more involved in the case.
ach received police was etched on the Tension was high.
handwritten couple’s car. Who was the ‘Mad Butcher’ of
ter. Two weeks later, on 11 Kingsbury Run?
am the killer October, the Zodiac Killer Across 1937 and 1938, seven
He taunted he teenagers claimed another life, more bodies were found – all
the police Lake Herman, shooting 29-year-old taxi missing heads or various limbs.

O
n 20 Decem
1968, 17-year
Faraday and his
16-year-old girlfriend
Betty Lou Jenson drove to a
quiet spot on Lake Herman
Road outside San Francisco
– a well known lovers’ lane.
Shortly after 11pm, their
bodies were found with
gunshot wounds to the head.
Local police were baffled,
unable to determine a motive
for the crime, or a suspect.
Seven months later, on 5
July 1969, 22-year-old
Darlene Ferrin and her
19-year-old boyfriend Mike
Mageau visited the same
lovers’ lane spot.
A man approached the
couple and fired multiple
shots at them, killing Darlene
and seriously wounding Mike.
Once again, police had no
ad.
he letters
contained details of the
murders that only the killer
could have known.
The sender also threatened
further attacks if the letters
weren’t printed on the front
page of the papers.
Each letter ended with a
symbol consisting of a circle
with a cross through it, followed
by a series of cryptic clues.
While police worked
feverishly to track him down,
another letter soon arrived at
the San Francisco Examiner.
Dear editor, this is the Zodiac
speaking, it began.
The killer had given himself
the cryptic nickname.
The Zodiac Killer taunted
police for not having been able
to crack his code.
On 27 September that same
driver Paul Stine.
Following the murder,
another letter was received.
Written in the same erratic
print, it gave the details of
Paul’s murder and was
accompanied by a bloody
scrap of his shirt.
Over the next few years, a
series of attacks were carried
out across the city.
Each would be followed up
with a cryptic letter to the
police and the press.
A final letter was received
on 29 January 1974.
Investigations continued,
but there was no further
correspondence.
In his letters, the Zodiac
Killer claimed to have
committed 37 murders, but to
this day, the killer has not
been caught, and his identity
has never been discovered.
In four years, 13 bodies had
been found in the same condition.
Only three were ever identified
– Edward Andrassy, Florence
Polillo, and Rose Wallace.
On 18 August 1938, officers
and detectives raided the hobo
suburbs of the Run.
They gathered 63 men and
ended up burning down the
shanty town.
Critics believed the raid would
do nothing to solve the murders,
and no bodies were found after it.
Few arrests were made, but the
authorities soon ran out of
potential suspects.
The case ran cold.
Who mutilated and murdered
the victims? And why did the
killings suddenly stop?
To this day, the true identity of
the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury
Run remains unknown – a
mystery in criminal history.

39
 Lifestyle
Upcycling – a new revolution br
unwanted furniture back to life.
Y
ou know that old bike that’s been rusting away in the shed or
Words by Hannah Poon Images: Getty and Alamy

maybe a desk that’s on its last legs? Well, they don’t have to make
a one-way trip to the dump! Why not upcycle them and give them
a new lease of life? With a splash of paint and a dash of creativity,
virtually anything can be upcycled. It’s a seemingly basic concept, but
recently it’s sparked an exciting revolution. With everyone looking to
save a buck, upcycling is a fantastic process that still leaves you with
something beautiful at the end. Thrift is in, and this is a great way to save
some money and help save the planet, too!

5 reasons why Dirk L

upcycled
T
his year, power tool manufacturer, Ryobi Power
Tools have launched their ‘Upcycler of the year’ his
TV stan
competition. Showcasing some of the best
upcycling talent up and down the UK, the competition d
and wo
has been a hit with crafters. The company are
li mad, and here are their top five n!
reasons why you should be, too:
1. CONSERVES THE ENVIRONMENT
Upcycling reduces the amount of waste
hat is dumped in the landfills. Some waste materials
ontain dangerous chemicals, which can cause soil
egradation. Upcycling won’t do that!
PRESERVES LIMITED RESOURCES
Upcycling eliminates the need to produce raw or
w materials, which as a result cuts down on air and
It’s been a hit r pollution.
with crafters EDUCES THE COST OF PRODUCTION
Through upcycling, the cost of production
an be drastically reduced.

TRY UPC
4. FINANCIAL BENEFIT
Upcycle your unused items and sell them
hrough sites such as eBay and Etsy.
5. ENCOURAGES CREATIVITY AND
NNOVATION
Creating a unique and stylish product takes
of creativity to come up with a meaningful
item from the waste.
To find out more, visit: www.uk.ryobitools.eu

A BIT OF NURTURE, FOR A BIT OF NATURE

R
ust-Oleum has a bank of fun ideas to keep you entertained, such as
this guide to creating fun Terrazzo Planters for the home or garden,
using a range of paints suitable for exterior use. Products available
from Homebase.co.uk
YOU’LL NEED...
 Rust-Oleum surface primer (£11) Brush Paint (£2.50)
 Rust-Oleum Chalky Finish  Rust-Oleum Crystal Clear (£11)
Furniture Paint (£9)  Plant pot
 Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch  paintbrushes

HOW TO DO IT…
1. Clear your pots thoroughly. Move them to a well-
ventilated space and place them on top of a large dust
sheet or some old newspaper.
2. Spray with Rust-Oleum Surface Primer and allow to
dry. Next, apply two thin layers of Chalky Finish
Furniture Paint to the pot, again, allowing it to dry
inbetween each coat.
3. Take a dry, stiff-bristled paint brush and dip the tip
into a small pot of Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch. Use
your finger to draw back the bristles and flick small
specks of paint all over the plant pot, then leave to dry
4. Use a fresh, smaller paint brush and several
different colours of Painter’s Touch to add a variety of
differently shaped and sized coloured blobs. Don’t
worry about making them match, in fact, the more
random they are, the better.
5. Finish off by adding two light coats of Rust-Oleum Super fun
Crystal Clear Protective Coat Spray to protect your and easy
plant pot from knocks and bumps, leaving to dry
between each one.

40
 WHAT A TRANSFORMATION
W
ith a little time and effort, tired, older pieces of furniture
can be turned into unique and eye-catching statement
pieces, with a little paint and FrogTape®. Take this
stunning vanity desk, which started off as an old wooden
YOU’LL NEED...
 An old desk
 Sandpaper
 FrogTape® (£5 from
Homebase)
 Paint colour of choice
 Paint brush

HOW TO DO IT…
1. Prep the piece ready to paint
by cleaning thoroughly first.
2. If needed, use a paint stripper
to remove any old finishes/paint.
3. ‘Scuff’ sand the top and sides It doesn’t
in the direction of the grain to take much
n’t
dull the shine from old finishes
o es ready to paint over – 180 grit
It d o be sandpaper is best.
v e t 4. Plan out your design (the best 6. Paint in the shapes using a
h a to way is to photograph, print and flat, soft synthetic artist’s
n e w draw over the top to ensure the brush. Add 1 to 2 coats more

nice! design will definitely fit).
be 5. Create your design using
FrogTape® Delicate Surface
until the full colour is reached.
7. Paint the top and sides of
the piece with a larger brush

G!
Painter’s Masking Tape. Make

N
– using a fine synthetic

CYCLI
sure to rub the tape down sanding pad between coats to
well to get a good seal – smooth if necessary. Wipe the
goes more opaque as dust away with a dry cloth
u do. The Delicate before putting the next coat of
rface tape is more paint on.
ntle to unfinished 8. Remove the tape slowly
ood surfaces. Tape can and steadily, pulling back on
cut carefully into itself.
inner stripes to make 9. When the paint is dry, seal
arrower stripes using a the whole piece with two
cutting mat, safety ruler coats of a clear water-based
and craft knife. topcoat.

THE KIDS WILL LOVE IT, TOO! Don’t throw

them away

U
pcycling can benefit everyone in the
family, especially the kids! Take their old
comics and give them something that will
last for years to come. Thanks to Furniture
Choice (www.furniturechoice.co.uk) you can
create a chair for their bedroom.

YOU’LL NEED...  Comics

 An old chair  Scissors
 PVA glue  Plate to pour the
 Brushes glue in.

HOW TO DO IT… com cs, app y a t n coating of glue over the

1. Cut out the comic panels of your choice – they
can be in any shape or size as each piece will be
overlaid over each other.
2. Apply glue to the surface of the chair that
you’re planning to cover with comic panels.
3. Start arranging the comic pieces onto the
surface coated with glue.
4. Once all areas are fully covered with the
surface to seal your handiwork in place.
5. Repeat steps three and four as you work your
way around the chair – remember to be careful
when working with uneven surfaces – it’s okay
to go slow!
6. Optional: To protect your new chair from any
surface damage, coat the chair in a clear
varnish.

41
 CoLokin ooking for inspiration? WW, Weight Watchers reimagined, have
launched their new cookbook available at weightwatchersshop
(£8.95). The Meals for One cookbook has 54 single-serving recipe
re fresh, healthy, simple, and won’t leave a stack of unused ingredie
go to waste. Any of the recipes can be doubled, tripled or quadrupled fo
days when you have more people round the table.

e
k e thes by
Ma ecial of
a sp
extr ing 40g to
INDIAN-STYLE SALMON ad
thre paneer h the
on
SKEWERS WITH d
cube wers w ook
it
ke c
CHICKPEA SAAG SERVES 1 the s on. The ins
YOU’LL NEED... salm e rema
 115g skinless salmon fillet, cut into tim same.
cubes the
 1 teaspoon olive oil
 ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
 ¼ teaspoon mild chilli powder
 1 tablespoon fat-free natural yogurt
FOR THE CHICKPEA SAAG
 1 teaspoon olive oil
 1 shallot, sliced
 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
 ½ teaspoon grated ginger
 ½ red chilli, finely chopped
 1 tomato, chopped (you’ll need 100g)
 215g tin chickpeas, drained and
rinsed
 75g young leaf spinach
 ½ teaspoon garam masala

HOW TO DO IT…
1. Preheat the grill to medium-high and
line a grill pan with kitchen foil.
2. Thread the salmon onto 2 skewers.
Mix the oil with the turmeric and chilli
powder and brush the mixture onto the
salmon. Cook under the grill for 2-3
minutes on each side.
3. Meanwhile, to make the chickpea
saag, heat the oil in a medium pan and
cook the shallot, garlic, ginger and chilli
for 2 minutes over a low heat. Add the
tomato, chickpeas and spinach and
continue to cook over a medium-high
Stock images:: Getty and Alamy

heat for 2-3 minutes until the spinach is

wilted and softened. Stir through the
garam masala, cook for 1 minute then
season to taste.
4. Serve the chickpea and spinach saag
with the salmon skewers drizzled with
the yogurt.

42
 GINGER
SERVES 1
& LEMONGRASS CHICKEN
YOU’LL NEED...  50g carrot, peeled into
 1 teaspoon lemongrass ribbons using a vegetable
paste peeler
 ½ teaspoon grated ginger  ¼ teaspoon grated garlic
 Juice of 1 lime  1 teaspoon rice vinegar
 165g skinless chicken  ½ teaspoon clear honey
breast fillet  1 teaspoon sesame oil
 Calorie controlled  1 spring onion, trimmed
cooking spray and finely sliced
 50g cucumber, peeled  1 tablespoon chopped
into ribbons using a fresh coriander
vegetable peeler  60g Thai jasmine rice

HOW TO DO IT…
1. Put half a teaspoon of the lemongrass paste into a
shallow bowl, add the ginger and half the lime juice, then
stir until a paste forms. Add the chicken and rub all over
with the paste. Mist with cooking spray and set aside to
marinate for 10 minutes.
2. Heat a nonstick griddle pan to medium and cook the
chicken for 10-12 minutes on each side until cooked
through. Remove from the pan and let rest for 5 mi
Ap before cutting into thick slices.
deli erfect 3. Meanwhile, combine the cucumber and carrot in
hea cious ly bowl with the garlic, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oi
lth an
enj y mea d
spring onion, coriander and remaining lime juice. S
o aside to pickle.
you y out l to 4. While the chicken is cooking and the salad is pic
r ga in
rde rinse the rice under cold running water then put into a
n pan of boiling water. Bring back to the boil then reduce to
a er and cook for 10-15 minutes until tender. Drain
n stir through the remaining lemongrass paste
with the chicken and pickled veg.

TURKEY MEATBALLS WITH

VEGETABLE RAGOUT SERVES 1
YOU’LL NEED...
 125g turkey breast mince
 25g courgette, grated
 1 spring onion, trimmed and finely
chopped
 ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
 Pinch ground coriander
 Pinch cayenne pepper
 1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint,
plus extra to serve
 1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf
parsley, plus extra to serve
 1 egg, beaten
 Calorie controlled coo
FOR THE VEGETABLE RAGO
 1 teaspoon olive oil
 1 shallot, thinly sliced
 ½ red pepper, deseeded and sliced
 100g courgette, diced
 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
 Pinch chilli flakes
 227g tin chopped tomatoes
 ½ x 250g pouch cooked Puy lentils

HOW TO DO IT…
1. In a medium bowl, mix together the mince, courgette, spring onion,
spices, herbs and enough of the beaten egg to bind the mixture (you’ll
need about 1 tablespoon). Season and shape into 3 meatballs, then mist
all over with cooking spray.
2. Heat a small nonstick frying pan and cook the meatballs over a
medium heat for 12-15 minutes, turning until cooked through and golden.
3. Meanwhile, to make the ragout, heat the oil in a medium nonstick
frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallot, pepper and courgette
and cook, stirring every now and then for 5 minutes. Add the garlic,
oregano and chilli flakes and continue to cook for 1 minute. Stir in the
chopped tomatoes and lentils and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5-6
minutes, until thickened. Season to taste.
4. Serve the vegetable ragout with the meatballs on top, garnished with
the extra mint and parsley.

43
 STRONGER TO
Ithoughtcancerhadenoughofmy
family,thenitreareditsuglyhead
once more… Toni Ilsley, 50, Reading
eering into my son’s
P bedroom, the sounds of his
PlayStation blared out.
‘How are you feeling
today?’ I asked.
‘Not too bad,’ Charlie sniffled.
It was February 2015, and
Charlie, then seven, had been
under the weather for a few weeks.
About a month before, he and his consultant warned. ‘Charlie could
dad – my husband Mark, now 52
– had been riding their bikes along
a local trail, and Mark had
struggled to keep up with him.
‘Slow down!’ he’d called.
But Charlie was a ball of energy
– there was no stopping him.
He had raced ahead, then, all of a said, my voice quivering.
sudden, splash!
Our boy had lost his balance and
fallen into a lake!
Mark raced over to find him
stood in the water with his bike,
looking rather sorry for himself.
‘Sorry Dad,’ he’d mumbled,
soaked from head to toe.
It was no surprise when
a few days after that, he
picked up a cold.
But over the following
weeks, he kept being sick.
Before, Charlie would
be out all day on his bike
or playing football, but
now tiredness and nausea
were keeping him inside.
Doctors thought it was
a viral infection, but the
medication they gave him
didn’t seem to be working.
The following day, I got
a call from his doctor,
asking us to come in.
‘They want us at the
Words by Hattie Bishop Photos: SWNS
hospital,’ I said to Mark,
ringing him up at work.
After a long day of tests
at the Royal Berkshire
Hospital in Reading, we
were called into a room.
‘A CT scan has showed
a mass on Charlie’s brain,’
a consultant said.
‘But we won’t know if
it’s cancerous or not until
44
we operate.’
‘No!’ I gasped.
Mark wrapped his arms around
me and we both felt numb.
All those weeks of Charlie being
under the weather – we’d never
imagined it was down to something
like this.
‘An operation is dangerous,’ the
be left mute, or he could die – but
he will definitely die without it.’
We were trapped.
It felt like my heart was being
torn from my body, but I tried to
stay calm.
‘Whatever it takes to save him,’ I
Later that evening, we sat Charlie
down to tell him the news.
‘You’re very poorly,’ I told him.
‘So you’re going to need an
operation to make you better.’
‘Will it stop me being sick?’ he
asked. ‘We hope so,’ his
Charlie remained
brave through it all
dad said, taking him in for a hug.
Soon after, our brave boy
underwent a 10-hour operation.
Afterwards, his surgeon assured
us that most of the tumour had been
removed successfully.
‘I’m just so happy he’s alive,’ I
stuttered, tears streaming.
But the major surgery had done a
lot of damage.
Charlie’s face had drooped from
permanent paralysis.
‘Am I better?’ he slurred, still
groggy from the anaesthetic.
‘We hope so,’ I whispered,
kissing his forehead.
But by the time he
was discharged 10
weeks later, poor
Charlie was still
We weren’t
unable to walk.
I took time off from
ready to
my job at a pharmacy
to take care of him, and
admit defeat
slowly, he regained the
strength in his hands.
But then his tests results
came back – the mass had been
cancerous, after all.
Our poor boy began six weeks of
radiotherapy, followed by four
gruelling rounds of chemo with a
stem cell transplant.
His hair fell out in
clumps and soon, he was
too ill to go to school.
But Charlie was as
brave as ever, and in
January 2016, he was
given the all clear.
‘No more hospitals?’
he asked.
‘No more,’ I smiled.
After that, his hair
slowly grew back, and
physiotherapy helped
We raised money for
special treatment
him walk again.
Soon, he and Mark were cycling
down to the lake every weekend,
and I was so proud.
But at the two-year mark of his
all clear, at age nine, Charlie’s
cancer came knocking again.
‘It’s returned in his spine,’ his
consultant said.
Mark and I braced ourselves for
talk of more gruelling treatment.
But instead, the consultant
remained silent.
Looking up at him, his eyes
looked sadly back at us.
‘I’m afraid there’s nothing we
can do,’ he said.
I couldn’t believe
what I was hearing.
‘Our son is not ready
to die,’ Mark said
through tears.
Not ready to admit
defeat, Mark and I went
home and did our own
research online.
I found a hospital in Turkey
which offered cyberknife
radiotherapy, which targeted
tumours with a greater accuracy
and power.
‘It costs £88,000,’ Mark
frowned. ‘We don’t have that kind
of money.’
But, desperate, we set up a
fundraising page.
In a matter of hours, friends and
family had donated over £7,000.
‘That’s enough for his first lot of
radiotherapy,’ I smiled.
Charlie would need a lot more,
but it was a start.
Mark and I booked flights, ready
to do whatever it took.
‘You’re going to have to be very
brave,’ I said to Charlie.
‘Will I get a dog?’ he asked.
Well, I don’t see why not,’ Mark
hed. ‘Just get home safe first.’
hortly after, Charlie and I jetted
o Turkey, after a tearful
odbye to Mark at the airport.
It made no sense in wasting
money on an extra ticket.
In Ankara, Charlie
underwent a week of
cyberknife radiotherapy,
followed by chemotherapy, and
was just as gruelling as we
ad expected.
He vomited up blood and
loped ulcers all over his body.
eanwhile, Mark kept up the

O THER
Mark had to face
his own battle
fundraising back home, spent all
day on social media, emailing
donors and charities.
Two weeks later, we had some
good news.
‘It’s working,’ I told Mark over
the phone.
Mark continued to fundraise, and
after eight long months in Turkey,
Charlie was cancer free and we
were coming home.
It was such a relief.
Charlie had been through so
much, his little body being pushed
to its limits.
‘I haven’t forgotten our promise,’
Mark told him when we arrived
back home.
Charlie was giddy with
excitement when we drove to a
breeder, picking out Eric the Lhasa
Apso to bring home.
We thought we were finally out
of the woods, but a few months
later, life decided to throw us
another curveball.
‘I feel like my bits are on fire,’
Mark said one morning.
‘It’s in agony.’
Taking a look, there was a small
red spot – down there. ‘You should
We spent eight
months in Turkey
really
get it
checked out,’ I
said, worried.
Mark saw his GP the following
day, who reassured him that it was
just a cyst.
But after two weeks of
antibiotics, the lump was still there.
Looking for a second opinion,
we went to the Royal Berkshire
Hospital for a scan.
And then, another blow.
‘I’m afraid you have penile
carcinoma,’ a specialist said. ‘It’s a
very rare form of cancer.’
I broke down in tears.
Had cancer not had enough of
our family?!
‘We need to act fast,’ the
specialist went on. ‘We’ll get you
booked in for removal and
reconstruction surgery.’
Mark was floored by the idea,
Double wha
rlie is our hero
Brave Cha
was silent the whole
way home.
‘I know we weren’t
planning on having more
kids, but I don’t want to lose
you,’ he said when we got home.
‘Don’t be daft!’ I smiled. ‘All I
care about is you getting better.’
Of course we were both terrified,
but when we sat Charlie down to
tell him the news, it suddenly all
seemed so trivial.
Compared to him, Mark had it
easy – he wasn’t facing weeks of
torturous treatment in Turkey.
Soon it was time for Mark’s
surgery, and while he was so
nervous, he did have a hero to look
up to – Charlie.
But the operation hadn’t gone
exactly to plan.
‘The cancer had spread more
than we expected,’ the surgeon
explained. ‘We had to remove most
of your penis.’
Doctors had grafted skin from
Mark’s thigh to reconstruct it, and
in the end, he’d been left with just
over three inches.
He was absolutely devastated.
‘If Charlie can get through all he
has, then we can live with this,’ I
reassured him.
Mark agreed, and has since come
to terms with everything that’s
happened to him.
Charlie’s courage kept us going,
and it’s that courage that will need
to work a little extra hard now – his
cancer has returned.
He dealt with the news with a
cheeky smile.
‘I get a dog every time my cancer
comes back,’ he grinned.
And he’s right – in March, Ernie,
a Shih Tzu Lhasa Apso cross,
joined our family.
Charlie’s treatment is going well,
but we won’t know for a few
months what life has in store for us.
Whatever it is, we will meet it
head on.
I’m just thankful I still have both
my boys, still in once piece.
45
 C R I B E N O W A N D G ET
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NO
Ileft,andnowI’mhelping
otherstodothesame...
Samantha Billingham, 39, West Midlands
utting my then 10-month-
P old daughter, Tegan, into
her pram, I walked out of
the front door.
That day, in November
2006, I left my life and my abusive
partner of three years behind me.
I’d been putting up with
emotional and physical abuse for
three years and finally, I’d had
enough. It had taken a lot of
Words by Hannah Poon Photos: SWNS
I stand up for
what I believe in
Inspiring
E
courage for me to
do so, but I knew
it was time to put
myself and my
daughter first.
I never got a
conviction, but I
was free,
nonetheless.
After that, I
slowly started
building up my
confidence and in
May 2009, I I had to put myself a
decided to help
other survivors. nd Tegan first
So, I set up a
Facebook page
– SODA
Survivors of
Domestic Abuse – in the hopes of there to support them. London university to help student
helping male and female victims Although there are many official midwives understand the signs.
just like me. charities and organisations, most Most of the time, it doesn’t start
Over time, the page grew and have long waiting lists, but my with the beatings and sometimes, it
today it has over 800 members. Facebook is always open. may not even get to that.
I run the page completely alone, It’s not been easy and once I’ve But coercive control is just as
but it’s a safe haven for even had to call the police, as I was bad and people need to know how
survivors to talk, connect extremely concerned for one to spot it.
and feel comforted. woman’s welfare. My sole focus with SODA is to
I know from experience Surviving domestic abuse isn’t help people just like me.
just how lonely it can be, as simple as just leaving, it’s a long To give men and women the
so I’m there at all hours to journey and it’s with strength to leave and be
talk to people. you for the rest of your a pillar of support if and
The members of
the group are all at
life, no matter how
much you try to forget You are when they do.
Last year, I was made
different stages
of their journey,
about it.
Up until he died, never alone an ambassador for The
Haven Wolverhampton
and so we all
help each other
Tegan often asked
about her father and I through all charity – they support
women and children
to overcome our
individual
had to overcome my
own emotions and put of this! who have experienced
violence, homelessness
challenges. hers first. and domestic abuse.
My abuser and the I know how it feels Due to the risks, my
father of my child and I want the men and women Facebook page is on lockdown and
passed away nearly on my Facebook to feel that they you have to be invited in.
six years ago, but can talk to me about anything. But if you want to be a part of it,
some people have to I’ve been in the darkest place, all you have to do is message me
face theirs on a daily but I came out on the other side and directly or visit our website.
basis due to custody now I want to help other victims to I want people to know that they
arrangements. do the same. are never alone in this and I’m here
Despite having left, Along with the Facebook page, I to help if they need me!
some survivors can also travel up and down the country Follow Sam’s Facebook page:
never truly escape, so raising awareness of the early signs Sam Billingham
my Facebook page is of domestic abuse. I’ve been into a SODA website: sodahq.uk
47
 Health
Ask our doc
With Cheryl Lythgoe, Head
Matron for Benenden Health
only and does not substitute seeing a doctor. If you have concerns, a face-to-face appointment with a doctor is recommended. Images: Getty
Watch closely
Too high
Q I’ve been told I’ve got high
blood pressure. How can I get
it down? Jill, Somerset
Hypertension (high blood
A pressure) is often an incidental
finding as it rarely gives symptoms.
Luckily, lowering our blood
Salt intake
Q I add salt to almost every
meal. How bad is that for my
health? Rose, Cirencester
Salt contains sodium, and too
A much sodium is linked to high
blood pressure, strokes, heart
disease and some cancers.
Our heart is a pump, and if the
pump becomes ‘clogged’, it won’t
work effectively.
Try to reset your taste buds by
adding less (or no) salt to meals –
swap table salt for spices or herbs.
Keep in mind the amount of salt
your food contains – about 75% of
our recommended daily salt intake
is already in everyday foods like
breads, cereals and ready meals.
Check the sodium level on
nutritional labels and choose
duced salt options.
You could also
nsider ditching
eaways as these are
n high in salt.
Swap cured meats
Disclaimer: Medical ad i
r fresh meat, and cut
back on salty snacks.
Cutting back Making these
simple swaps should
ensure our hearts
keep running.
48
pressure doesn’t need to be
difficult or expensive.
If you’re a smoker, your first
challenge is to stop, as this gives
you the greatest benefit!
Next, I’d suggest looking at diet
and exercise.
Doing regular physical activity,
whether it’s going for a brisk walk
or gardening for up to 150 minutes
per week, is great for lowering
blood pressure.
Each of your meals should have
lots of veggies or fruit, as well as a
source of protein and some starch.
Remember to monitor portion
sizes and ensure you cut down
your salt intake.
Alcohol is fine, in moderation.
I suggest no more than 14 units
spread out over a week.
What’s the norm?
Q I’m 43 and have started to get
menopause
symptoms. Is
that too early
Sally, Leeds
As with
A most life
changes,
they come in
stages, and
menopause is Time of life
the same.
We have a stage called
‘perimenopause’. This means the
natural oestrogen level is falling,
and the body starts to show signs of
these natural hormone changes.
There’s no definite time limit on
the perimenopause, but it can be
between four to eight years until you
become post-menopausal.
The signs could be hot flushes,
poor sleep or changes in periods.
For some, many of these signs
and symptoms go unnoticed, but for
others, it can cause disruption to the
quality of our daily life.
If you’re worried, book an
appointment with your GP where
a quick blood test can assess your
hormone levels and decide if you
need any management options.
The advice
you need
checke
W ith so much information
floating around about
Coronavirus, we asked Cheryl
to debunk fact from fiction
and get to the bottom of some
common misconceptions.
MYTH – CORONAVIRUS
ONLY AFFECTS OLDER
PEOPLE
Read all
FACT – Any age can
about it be affected by the new
Coronavirus. Older people,
those with an impai
immune system, or people with some me
conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart
diseases, etc, appear to be more vulnera
to becoming severely ill with COVID-19.
MYTH – ALL HAND SANITISERS CAN
PROTECT YOU FROM INFECTION
FACT – In the case of hand sanitise
not all are created equal. They are
extremely useful when travelling
or commuting, but if your hand Right choice
sanitiser contains less than 60%
alcohol – or, worse, none – it
won’t offer much protection from
Coronavirus. Expert advice at PHE
and the WHO states that hand
sanitisers must contain at least 60% alcohol to be
truly effective.
MYTH – IT IS UNSAFE TO RECEIVE ANY PACKAGE
FROM INFECTED COUNTRIES
FACT – No, it is not unsafe to receive any package
from infected areas. The fact is that Coronavirus does
not survive long on objects like packages, and it is
safe to receive mail from infected countries. Most
viruses live on hard surfaces for around 48 hours,
nlight and the
ough touching a
ated surface then
r eyes or mouth.
ONAVIRUS WAS/
Y ANIMALS TO
ow, there is no
mals or pets such
ts can be infected
D-19, or that it can
etween animals
mans. You should
s wash your hands
ace with soap and
r after handling
Not a risk or animals.
 atient casebook
CLO
Ineverimagined
aroutinetest
couldleadtoso
muchdanger…
Andy Payne, 56, the Cotswolds
losing my eyes tightly, I
C braced myself.
‘Won’t be long,’the
doctor said, slapping on a
pair of latex gloves.
It was January last year, and I
was having what I’m sure every
man dreads – a prostate exam.
Ever since I’d turned 50, I had
to have these dreaded awkward
exams regularly.
I’d had a few already – knew
they were important.
This time, though, something
was wrong.
Feeling something abnormal,
the doctor referred me to
Cheltenham Hospital for an MRI
and a series of tests – but nothing
came back conclusive.
‘The only way to make sure
there’s nothing wrong is to take a
biopsy,’the doctor told me.
So, on 31 January, with my
wife Kirsty, 50, sat in the waiting
room, I had the quick procedure.
After that, I was sent home to
wait for my results.
But before heading off, the
doctor had a warning.
‘If you start to feel ill
– any shivering or I was at
shaking – come back
immediately,’ he said.
risk of
‘It could mean you organ
have an infection.’ failure
‘I’m sure I’ll be just
fine,’ I smiled, eager to
get home.
How wrong I was.
As Kirsty drove, I started
feeling really cold in the car.
‘It is January,’ I reasoned,
reaching for the heater.
By the time we got home,
though, I felt horrible.
Heading straight up to bed, I
crawled under the duvet,
shivering and shaking.
The doctor’s words played over
and over in my head, and I knew
something was wrong.
Despite just wanting to close
my eyes, I called for Kirsty.
‘I need to go back to the
hospital,’I croaked.
Minutes later, we were back in
the car, this time heading to Great
Western Hospital in Swindon.
It was a lot closer to
home, and my brother
Richard, 50, was a
consultant surgeon
there – so I knew I’d be
in good hands.
As Kirsty raced to
Swindon, I was starting
to feel even worse.
By the time we reached A&E,
my blood pressure had fallen, my
heart rate had gone up, and my
temperature was through the roof.
Feeling dizzy, I started seeing
spots, and before I could say
anything, everything went black.
The next thing I remember is
peeling open my eyes to see a
bright light above me. Am I dead?
ALL
Kirsty stayed
by my side
I was close
to death
I thought.
Then Kirsty’s face appeared,
dotted with tears.
‘You’ve been out for a few hours,’
she said.
I was hooked up to a drip,
wondering what on earth had
happened to me.
‘Mr Payne, you’ve developed
sepsis,’a doctor told me a few
minutes later. ‘We’ve hooked you up
to antibiotics, but you’re not out of
the woods just yet.’
Sepsis – a serious blood infection
– was attacking my blood cells,
which meant that my organs were
shutting down.
I’d most likely contracted the
deadly infection during the biopsy
on my prostate.
Pumped full of potent antibiotics,
doctors were in a race against time to
save my life.
The next few days were a blur –
doctors coming in and out, nurses
hooking me up to drips, my brother
Richard looking at my charts, and
my darling Kirsty, asleep on the
chair next to my bed.
Even when I was more awake, I
lt incredibly dizzy
nd light headed –
aused by my
dangerously low
lood pressure.
Finally, 10 days
ater, I was allowed to
go home.
And it was only
hen that I learned
erious my situation
actually been.
‘You were very close
o organ failure,’
Richard told me.
‘In fact, you had a
70% chance of losing
an organ altogether.’
Terrifying.
All this because of a
le biopsy?
as glad to be back
t by that point, my
tem had been shot to
pieces, and I was incredibly weak.
For the next few weeks, I was
told to go to bed early, take it easy.
I started eating healthy meals and
gave up alcohol, and slowly
regained my strength with daily
walks – with Kirsty’s help.
Sepsis had really taken it out of
me, and it was a real eye opener.
It’s scary to think that a routine
test on my prostate had led to such a
serious infection.
After all that, my biopsy results
came back, and it turns out, my
prostate is as clean as a whistle!
Before this, I didn’t really know
much about sepsis, and I certainly
didn’t think that it would ever
happen to me.
If I’d stayed under the duvet and
gone to sleep like I’d wanted to that
day, the infection would have
spread, and I could have died.
It was a close call – but I’m here
to tell the tale.
Fact file
very hour, five people in the UK die
from sepsis. Also known as blood
poisoning, sepsis is the immune
system’s overreaction to an infection
or injury. Normally our immune
system fights infection, but
sometimes, it attacks our own organs
Words by Laea Marshall Photos: SWNS
and tissues. It can be treated with
antibiotics, but if not treated
immediately, it can result in organ
failure and death. Symptoms include
slurred speech or confusion,
shivering, muscle pain, and
breathlessness. If you think you or
someone you know has developed
sepsis, call 999 right away.
Visit www.sepsistrust.org
49
 F-CARE
e self-care
t nourishes us
getically,
.
hat it needs to
on your yoga
YOGA TO FOCUS: TREE POSE
This balance pose fine tunes
n 60 seconds, your attention, keeps you
it can deliver anchored in the moment, and the
e moment. tall posture will uplift you.
o focus, other
es we need a
Try basic
poses first

are four vital functions to self-c

lps us cope during periods of stress, los
e and ill-health. This is often when self-
away because we are pressed for time,
and resources, and we lack the clarity
f new ways of nourishing ourselves.
lso precisely the time we need self-car o your self-care
e need a well-articulated self-care too nourish your
during these times, to be reminded of ou don’t have to
hing simple to help us keep going. – just take a YOGA TO CALM:
need it to help us recover and heal from
nging times. Self-care helps us process
ose, and CHILD’S POSE
ay if you can, Use this pose to soothe the
hrough our emotions following loss, str tressed, pick a nervous system and to calm
ange and gives us the opportunity to lease your your mind.
ally heal.
need to engage in self-care to keep us
tically topped up so we can be resilien
f future stress. The
w
face it, stress isn’t going to go away, a
stabi all
uch longed for events can seriously de
li
t think of the stress involved with plann you a ses
gives nd
ng, holiday, house renovation project,
g, scoring a promotion, or having a bab
y
stren ou
need to keep an eye on our ‘energy ban
e’ – meaning that when we’re energeti
ant, we are resourceful in response to gth
nge, and when we’re energetically low,
ificant happenings can needle us, and t
things are more likely to floor us.
-care keeps us resilient and gives us the
e to deal effectively with life in all its gl
-care is the means by which we become
that we aspire to be. What qualities do
ear? For some, it’s being present, kind,
ssionate and loving.
ging in self-care can help you be the b IGH LUNGE
n of yourself – it’s the ultimate win-win. ARMS YOGA TO RESTORE:
arents, it’s vital to have a strong self-c
e so that we are role modelling these s
on and arm LEGS UP THE WALL
se you and Rest and relax in this shape for
children. There is nothing extravagant e strength of a few minutes to replenish your
re when we see its potency through thi core. energy bank balance.

51
 phappy
ongratulations!
y brother Jon and his
lfriend Osh got
Climb high gaged! Elliott, London
Here are my children
racing to the top of the
wall. They are so brave!
Sharon, Cornwall

Love at first sight
Here is my cute little cousin
meeting our hamster for the
first time! Helena, London
Cake crazy
I helped bake these
cupcakes to raise money
for a charity in school.
The kids loved them!
Georgina, Windsor

Afternoon tea
The yummiest spread
Puppy love out with my sisters
My daughter Hayley and mum.
and our dog Bella Fiona, Nottingham
having a snooze.
Christine, Bristol

52
Concrete Jungle
The view from the top of the
Empire State building in New Home sweet home
York. Just incredible! My hamster Pebble loves her
F. Trevell, Northern Ireland new giant cage. Tarryn, South
Gloucestershire

Pet
Gorgeous doggy
Here’s Bella enjoying
having us all home!
Diana, York

Cracker
Bunny l
Burger feast My fluffy
Three Brothers rabbit Rosie
restaurant, three burgers, her favourite
three friends. We couldn’t pink blanket
say no to the loaded Such a diva!
sides! Maisy, Yorkshire Poppy, Taun

Bone Appetit
Look how excited my crazy
little dog is for tea! Food is
life. Nounna, Lancashire

THAT’S SO BRITISH
NOTICING A SMALL PATCH OF BLUE SKY AND IMMEDIATELY
Happy birthday PURCHASING 24 CASES OF PIMMS.
Stock Images: Alamy

Ivy’s birthday cake is inspired HELPING SOMEONE WITH THE BARBECUE BY STANDING AT
by her dog. She couldn’t wait THEIR SIDE WITH YOUR HANDS ON YOUR HIPS.
to blow the candles out!
Hollie, Portsmouth
DESCRIBING A SMALL PIECE OF CONCRETE AS A ‘BEER GARDEN

53
 y o u r n e ws a g e n t t o
A s k z i n e
d e l i ve r y o ur m a g a
 B y
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he changing seasons can often bring new challenges for
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POPPING EYES
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Words by Hannah Poon Stock images: Getty
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se. Available in eight shades, these are perfect for
un and vibrant look.
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Here comes
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ven if you’re just upping your tan in the garden,
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5.99, SUPERDRUG
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55
 For
THE TR
protestedhisinnocence,but
his guilt was undeniable.
hen a mother and money was due, Amber
They doted
on Amber

W young daughter were

hacked to death with
an axe, the suspicion
fell firmly on the head
of the family – Mark Lundy.
Only, Mark was
180 miles away
went to school and Mark
and Christine drove two
cars to a lighting shop to
buy a lampshade.
Then Mark headed off
to Wellington an
checked into his
cheating on his wife.
So just how did the
He cheated usual hotel in
Petone for work.
kitchen salesman
wipe out his family in
with a That afternoon
he called his fam
an attack so brutal prostitute before they went
that it would go down McDonald’s for t
in history? Hours later, M
The answer lay in a silent picked up the phone and
witness – a polo shirt. dialled - this time to call
The Lundy family lived in escort service.
Palmerston North, New Zealand. The next
Mark, then 43, was married to morning, Mark
Christine, 38, and they had a called Christine
daughter, Amber, seven, who was brother and ask
bright and outgoing. him to check on
Mark and Christine hadn’t Christine
been able to conceive another because they
child so Amber was doted on. weren’t
Mark was a builder and joiner, answering the
and had set up a business with his phone.
wife selling kitchens. When he
Loving Christine did the went round, he y g g
paperwork, while Mark travelled discovered a off relatives wearing
every fortnight to Wellington to scene of horror. dark glasses as he
visit kitchen suppliers. Christine’s collapsed with grief
Everyone said that Mark was a blood-soaked outside the church.
devoted husband and father, who body was on The footage was
appeared to adore his family. the bed and hown on national
They didn’t know about his Amber lay elevision and many
weakness for prostitutes while he dead in the hought he was acting.
was working away from home
– or what he was capable of.
doorway.
They’d
How could he hire an Police discovered that
Mark had raised the life
By 2000, their kitchen business
had debts of around £50,000.
been
bludgeoned escort and murder his surance policies for
mself and Christine
Mark and Christine had put in to death with st two months before
family at the same time?
Words by Gail Shortland Images: Getty

an offer to buy some land to turn what experts e murders.

into a vineyard but after putting
down a deposit, they didn’t have
the funds to pay the rest.
Quickly they amassed
thousands in penalties as they
missed deadlines.
The settlement was due on 30
August 2000 and there was no
money to pay it.
It would bankrupt him.
On 29 August, a day before the
predicted to They suspected he’d
be a ne it – they just had to
tomahawk ure out how.
style axe. nvestigators believed
Both had die the family computer
and blood was sp attered across night before. clock had been changed so
their walls. Mark had called for a prostitute that it looked like it was switched
Only a jewellery box was at 11.30pm and she’d visited him in off later than it was.
missing from their home. the hotel. In fact, experts suggested that
The computer in the house had How did he kill his family? Christine and her daughter could
been switched off at 10.52pm the At the funeral on 7 September, have actually been killed as early as

56
 JUST FOR FUN
Strike it
What word is often used
to describe when you
are stopped from doing
something? To find t
OAPs!
solve the puzzle.
ch of
your bingo card, 25
49 a bun
cross out all the
numbers that 72 76
We’re
appear on the 12
balls. Read the 81 7
letters beside 84 14
the remaining 2
numbers on 11 59
your card from 37 80
left to right to

GOLD
spell out your 32
44
answer
K Y
N
76 81
D
51
P
1 32 D
E T
S A E
46 61 85
7 11 20 C E
N V
R
15 25 38 59 77

Your answer _______________________

Number fit
Which one of the listed numbers won’t fit in this
We’re an inseparable trio living out
our golden years together!
Angela Bottomley, 67, Manchester
ettling into his new bed, our howling at the telly.
mini grid?

137 S new dog Paddy was as quiet

as a mouse.
It was November last
year, and my mum
Marjorie, then 99, had just
rehomed the Patterdale Terrier
‘There there,’ Mum soothed,
patting him on the back.
She’d loved dogs ever since she
was a child, had grown up with her
black Labrador, Bess.
But, raising me and my sister
167 from a local shelter.
‘Shall we put Corrie on?’ Mum
Lorna back in the 50s, Mum and
my dad Charlie, a bus mechanic,
asked, settling down with a cuppa. didn’t really have any spare cash to
She’d watched the show since it spend on pets.
631 began back in 1960, never missed
an episode.
Dad passed away in 2004, and a
few years later, Mum moved in
Just then, as the familiar theme with me.
673 tune started to play, Paddy jumped
up from his bed, his chin jutted far
I was divorced, my kids all
grown up and flown the nest.
into the air. Mum had adored my crossbreed
‘Owwww!’ he howled. terrier, Shadow, and we were both
713 Mum and I stared at him,
totally gobsmacked.
absolutely devastated when she
passed away in 2015.
Your answer _______________________ ‘It’s only Corrie!’ I laughed. ‘Do you think we should get
‘What’s gotten into you?’ another dog?’ Mum asked me last
‘Owww!’ Paddy continued, April, a twinkle in her eye. ‘That’s a
Answer on page 60.
58

DEN OLDIES
lovely idea,’ I smiled.
Every week, we logged onto the
Dogs Trust website, looking for the
perfect match.
Then Paddy’s photo popped up.
‘That little face,’ Mum smiled.
Paddy was 11 – 77 in human
years – and had been handed into
the rehoming centre after his
Mum and Dad
back in 1945
Mum got a card
from the Queen!
owners’ living circumstances had
sadly changed.
‘This old man deserves a happy
retirement,’ Mum said.
We arranged to meet him, and a
few days before our appointment,
Mum bought two fleece throws
from the garden centre.
‘For the sofas when Paddy
arrives,’ she said.
Bless her, she already had her
eart set on him!
Luckily, meeting Paddy went
eally well.
He happily came over to us to
ntroduce himself, sniffing our
He’s our little
distinguished gent
Sweet
feet and pawing at our knees.
He was a keeper – and Mum
was smitten!
And within just 10 minutes of
bringing him home, he was sat
beside her on the sofa, his head in
her lap.
Now we’re a household of three
OAPs – I retired from my
job as a union rep four
years ago.
But despite her age, Paddy is
Mum does amazingly
well, doing all her own spoilt
washing and ironing.
She doesn’t cook
anymore, but is always
rotten!
on hand to supervise
when I try my hand at making
an apple pie – her favourite.
As for Paddy, he’s full of beans!
He looks like such a
distinguished gent in his red tartan
coat, but still enjoys pulling me
towards fields and wildly barking at
passing squirrels.
I can’t let him off his lead yet as
he doesn’t listen to me – selective
hearing, I suspect.
But Paddy enjoys his home
comforts, too.
Mum always pours some of her
cuppa into a saucer for him. And,
just like Mum, he loves Corrie!
He howls every time the theme
tune comes on.
Six weeks after Paddy moved in,
on 28 December, Mum turned 100.
Friends and family all came over
to celebrate the big day with lots of
tea and cake.
‘What do you fancy eating,
Paddy?’ Mum asked,
peeling open ham and
cheese sandwiches for
him – so spoilt!
Now she’s 100, Mum
is showing no signs of
slowing down.
She’s even just given a
talk to a local school
about her job in the
Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
during World War II.
Paddy is almost 12 now and is in
fantastic health, too.
Mum joins us for walks on her
mobility scooter every day.
It only goes at about 4mph, but
that’s the perfect pace for Paddy’s
old knees.
Between them, Mum and Paddy
are 112 years young.
Two golden oldies together and
raring to go.
My only concern is whether I
can keep up!
59
 JUST FOR
FUN Movie links Name the films in which these
stars appeared together to
link Zac Efron with
Answer revealed

___ _-___
________
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_________
__
___
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__________

THIS MONTH’S ANSWERS Code Cracker page 36

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60
 Caring

MY TUR
Whengiventhechance,I did
whatIcouldtogivebackto
them… Dawn Williams, 56, Gloucester
n 1 June 2000, my husband the second week of his

O Simon, 59, retired from the

Royal Navy.
He’d served for 24
incredible years and I was
so proud of him.
I’d given up my job when I met
him to be a Navy wife – constantly
on the move.
I loved our life with our two
sons, but just three months after he
retired, Simon was diagnosed with
Hodgkin Lymphoma.
And to make matters even worse,
it had been caused by an exposure
to a radioactive substance down in
the submarines.
Simon was forced to give up
work to undergo his treatment.
So, with two young boys and no
financial income, things were hard.
As a Navy wife, I couldn’t even
get a job, as I had no recent
experience in anything.
Things were hard, and Simon
was very poorly.
As part of his treatment, he was
undergoing a drug trial, but it was
extremely tough for him. During
I’ve always loved
our life together
Words by Hannah Poon Photos: SWNS
chemo his mouth
blistered, his neck
started to burn from
the inside and his hair
began to fall out.
Anyone who’s
suffered cancer or
watched a loved one
go through it, knows
that it’s never easy.
And with two
boys, just six and
four at the time, it
was the hardest
period of our lives.
Thankfully,
SSAFA The Armed
Forces Charity were
there for us.
‘We can fund your childcare and
offer emotional support whenever
you need it,’ they told us.
It was nice knowing that
somebody had our back.
While Simon was undergoing
treatment, it was an incredibly
lonely time – for him and the rest of
the family. We couldn’t be around
My way of gi
ving back
anyone in case Simon caught an
infection and became unwell.
So, knowing SSAFA were there
whenever we needed them was a
huge blessing.
Thankfully, over the years,
Simon recovered from the cancer,
and in 2010, he was officially
discharged from the hospital.
It was a huge relief, but neither
of us could work, so
things were tight for
a while.
But all that
He’s got the
mattered to me was
that Simon was still
spring back
alive and well.
Over the next few
in his step
years, we
concentrated on getting
Simon’s strength up and
adapting to our new normal.
Then, in September 2015,
after speaking to a SSAFA case
worker I decided to volunteer
wonderful veterans with anything
they needed.
Then, not a year later, in May
2016, I became the chairman for
our Bristol and South
Gloucestershire branch.
It was a huge step up, but after
everything SSAFA had done for me
and my family, it was my way of
giving back.
I’m still volunteer
based, but I ensure that
everything is correct
and our veterans are
properly looked after
– including those in the
justice system.
It’s so rewarding, and
knowing that I can
finally say thank you to charity that
helped us through such a hard time
is indescribable.
Simon’s even started
volunteering for us, too!
He’s a charity fundraiser and it’s

for them on a amazing seeing him so happy.

full-time basis. Finally, he’s got the spring back
‘They did so in his step.
much for us,’ I After 24 years in the Navy,
said to Simon, Simon struggled being out of work,
after agreeing to so it really is wonderful to see the
the position. spark back in his eyes.
I started as a He means everything to me.
case worker, To become a volunteer at
going around and SSAFA like Dawn, visit:
helping our www.ssafa.org.uk

61
 The u
FILM AND TV SHOWBIZ
1  Which actor plays Dr. Ivo
Robotnik in the Sonic the 8  Meghan Markle has been
announced as the voiceover
for which Disney documentary?
Hedgehog Movie?
a Will Smith a Elephant
b Leonardo DiCaprio b Dolphin
c Jim Carrey c Killer Whale

2  Eddie Redmayne plays

Newt Scamander in
which fantasy film?
a Fantastic Beasts and Where
to Find Them
b Star Wars – A New Hope
c Treasure Island
In Disney’s Lilo and
3  Stitch, what is Stitch’s
classified name?
9  What is the name of Gordon
Ramsay’s youngest son?
a Logan
b Oscar
c Elijah
8. Meghan Markle has
10 What is the name of
Jacqueline Jossa’s
performing arts school?
been announced as the
voiceover for which
a Jac Jossa Academy
b Jacqueline’s School
Disney documentary?

a Experiment 626
b Experiment 600
c School of performing arts by
Jac MUSIC 20. How many
c Blue Monster 500
holes are there in
11 How many children do
Tyson and Paris Fury 14  Which boyband have a regular golf
4  Which Zac Efron movie is
the song Rewrite The
Stars from?
have?
a4
rekindled and
announced a winter 2020
tour?
course?

SPORT
a High School Musical b2 a One Direction
b The Greatest Showman c 5 b JLS
c Hairspray c N-Sync
During EastEnders 35th 12  Which part of the UK do
Harry and Sandra 19 What is the
5  anniversary episode,
who died during the boat
Redknapp live?
a Southend, Essex
15  Which iconic song
features in the 1987
film Dirty Dancing?
name of David
Beckham’s new Ameri
football team?
sinking? b Falmouth, Cornwall a Footloose a Miami Balls
a Linda Carter c Sandbanks, Dorset b I Wanna Dance with b Miami beach
b Ian Beale Somebody c Inter Miami
c Dennis Rickman Jr
13  Which year did Rio and
Kate Ferdinand get
c Time of my Life

6  Who directed the 2020

adaption of Jane
married?
a 2019 16  In the original Take
That line-up, what
20 How many hol
are there in a
regular golf course?
Austen’s Emma? b 2018 were the names of the a 18
a Ava DuVernay c 2020 members? b 19
b Kathryn Bigelow a Gary, Robbie, Mark, Jason, c 20
c Autumn De Wilde Howard
b Gary, Robbie, Mark, James,
21 Who starts with
Images: PA and Getty

In Cornonation Street,
7  which character does
William Roache play? 19. What is the name of
Harry
c Gary, Robert, Martin, Jason,
Howard
ball in netball?
a Centre
b Wing Attack
a Steve McDonald David Beckham’s new c Goal attack
b Ken Barlow American football team?
c Kevin Webster 17 
Girl?
Victoria Beckham was
known as which Spice Which sport do
22 wicket appear
a Scary a Rugby
b Posh b Cricket
c Baby c Pool
Little Things by One
18  Direction was written
by which other UK singer?
23 In football, wh
is the current
England manager?
a Ed Sheeran a. Harry Redknapp
3. In Disney’s b Gary Barlow b. Gareth Southgate
Lilo and Stitch, c Harry Styles c. Harry Kane
what is Stitch’s
classified name?

62
uiz!
Fancy yourself as a bit of a brainbox? On sale 11 June
Test just how smart you are with
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28. In Bristol, what

is the name of
Isambard Brunel’s
July special
famous bridge?

THE TWISTED TOY

I GOT FROM MY
RAPIST...

t for
Jus 18. Little Things by

fun One Direction was

written by which
other UK singer?

GENERAL so I’d always

25. Tempura is a fish or
vegetable deep fried in
batter best associated
with which country?
FOOD AND
KNOWLEDGE
hear his voice
In Bristol, what is
28 the name of
Isambard Brunel’s famous
bridge?
a SS Brunel Bridge
b Royal Albert Bridge
c The Suspension Bridge

DRINK 29 Which novel by

Margaret Mitchell
won the Pulitzer prize for
24 ‘Why have cotton
when you can have
silk?’ was used to advertise
fiction in May 1937?
a Lost Laysen
b Gone With The Wind
which chocolate bar?
a Galaxy vegan chocolate
b Dairy Milk chocolate
c Before Scarlett

30 Both Sir Edward

A st
c Galaxy chocolate

25  Tempura is a fish or

Elgar and Adam
Smith have featured on
which British banknote?
WAKE
vegetable deep
fried in batter best
associated with which
country?
a £10
b £20
c £50
UP CALL
a Japan
b China
c Indonesia
31 Which country has
the world’s longest
coastline?
a Canada
26  Autumn King,
Figaro and St
Valery are all varieties of
b Australia
c UK
10. What is the which vegetable?
name of Jacqueline
Jossa’s performing
arts school?
a Cabbage
b Carrot
32 Southwark is a
borough in which
British city?
c Tomato a London
b Bristol
27  Mocha is a coffee c Manchester
Images: SWNS and Getty

usually flavoured
with which substance? 23B, 24C, 25A, 26B, 27A, 28C, 29B, 30B, 31A, 32A
a Chocolate 13A, 14B, 15B, 16A, 17B, 18A, 19C, 20A, 21A, 22B,
b Caramel 1C, 2A, 3A, 4B, 5C, 6C, 7B, 8A, 9B, 10A, 11C, 12C,
Answers
c Hazelnut

63
 fight!
Food

ORANGES,
D ating back to medieval times, this giant food fight
sees residents of the Italian town of Ivrea, gather
in the main square to hurl oranges at each other
every February.

FESTIVALS
Thought to commemorate the day the town was
liberated from the harsh rule of an evil duke, the
unusual festivities sees 700 tonnes of oranges thrown
at each other by neighbourhood teams across the
three-day food fight.

F rom mud fights to monkey banque s, ow many o

these unusual festivals from around the world are
you familiar with?
by Rosie Crass Images: Alamy and Getty

BABYJUMPINGFIESTA,
very June, devils are allowed to run wild in the Spanish village of
EDating
Castrillo de Murcia.
back to the 1620s, hundreds gather as red and yellow-masked
‘devil n through the streets hurling insults at villagers and whipping
them

t
horsetail attached to a stick.
orn the previous year are laid out on mattresses while
leap over them! The unusual ritual is thought to be a
Fine dining
d of Catholic and pagan traditions to represent
the triumph of good over evil.

Leap of faith
H eld annually in Lopburi, Thailand, this festival is
all about the monkeys, with the last Sunday in
November being dedicated to the 3,000 strong
long-tailed macaques population.
Serving huge towers of colourful fruit and
vegetables, the residents dish up a feast just for the
monkeys to enjoy, which includes every type of sweet
treat imaginable!
The special banquet is held as a thank you from the
locals to the monkey population for attracting tourists
to their city.
CHEUNGCHAUBUN Baking mad BIT
FESTIVAL, ON THE
F or one week every April, the people of Cheung
Chau Island, a short ferry ride from Hong Kong,
get busy baking thousands of buns and creating
colourful displays for their lively traditional parade.
SIDE!
OUTDOOR
Originally starting as a celebration for the end of a
plague, this festival is now one of the most important
celebrations for the city’s cultural heritage and ends

CUSHIONS
with their infamous bun scrambling competition,
where participants climb giant 6ft bamboo towers
covered with buns, and try to grab as many of them
as possible!

UNDERWATER Garden Maya reversible

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W d
flippers and a snorkel f
Yellow outdoor scatter

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underwater festival see
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COOPER’S listen to sea-the

speakers suspended u
m

Participants re enco

CHEESEROLLING, play ‘underw

Under the sea

E ach May, Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire
is taken over with people chasing a rolling
nine pound wheel of Double Gloucester Lemon print outdoor scatter
cheese down the incredibly steep hill! cushion, £8, Matalan
The traditional event dates back to the
1800s but due to health and safety concerns it
was officially cancelled in 2010.
But loyal competitors have
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every year themselves, Urban Nature scatter
with around 4,000 cushion, £8, George Home
spectators watching the
cheese-chasing spectacle.

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BORYEONGMUDFESTIVAL, cushion, £12, John Lewis

T he most popular festival in

South Korea, the Boryeong Mud
some
Add to the
Festival sees thousands of revellers
take part in some good clean (or
style rs!
should we say dirty) fun!
Every year in July, this sleepy
town on the western coast sees
d
people fly in from all over the world
Stock Images: Getty

to take part in mud wrestling, mud

sliding and even mud swimming.
The event started back in 1999
and intended to promote

Mud bath!
cosmetics made from the Garden Merida reversible
region’s mud, which is supposed cushion, £12, John Lewis
to have benefits for the skin.
Chit chat
What you
need to know
this month...
DREAM LOCKDOWN PARTNER?
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F irst cronuts, then fronuts, now muffnuts. Ever
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made from a croissant-like dough. These and Lady Gaga were
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Dum Dum Donutterie, based in London, We don’t blame
Windsor, Birmingham and Shoreditch. them – a talented
2. FRONUT: a frozen doughnut performer would
A fresh doughnut served with ice-cream in
the middle, like a sandwich. It’s been a hit in
2 definitely keep you
entertained.
California and New York, and now it’s made And, it would be a
its way to Sheffield. The dessert of this bonus if you could stay
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3. MUFFNUT: a muffin-doughnut mansion, too!
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Margot Robbie

Beat the blues

BRING THE FESTIVAL HOME
W ith Glastonbury 2020 postponed, lots of us are feeling the
festival blues. But fear not, you can still get a taster of the music,
amping and delicious food from your own back garden! Here’s a
get creative:
s in your back garden and use fairy lights
Drape them over fences and trees.
se a disposable camera or use your
snap memories. Dress in festival attire
n make-up.
– Have a BBQ in your garden or make
as – whatever your favourite food usually
Make fun drinks, too!
AYLIST – Put together a list of songs of all
e artists or acts that were meant to be

et up a tent in your back garden and

ith your housemates or family.

66
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