Table of contents for 10 April 2025 in Chat

Welcome to this week’s Chat… They say a picture is worth a thousand words. That’s true for poor Charlotte on p10. While there’s a warning on the page, I’ll give you another here: the photos showing the aftermath of her non-surgical bum lift are really gory. But she’s bravely sharing them to raise awareness about the dangers of this kind of cosmetic procedure that seem to be ever-more popular. Charlotte’s story is truly eye-opening. She thought she’d found a quick fix for a peachy bum, but it almost cost her everything… Have a great week,…

Janet Smith, 70, Newport With a gummy grin, my son Colin, 10 months, put one podgy foot in front of the other. His first steps. It was June 1983. Colin was my youngest. Me and my husband Colin Sr, then 30, also had Darren, 7, Patrick, 5, and Daniel, 2. A noisy, happy home. Only, seeing Colin on his feet, I felt uneasy. He had haemophilia, a rare genetic blood-clotting disorder that meant once he started bleeding, his body couldn’t stop. Even tiny injuries left him at risk of internal bleeding. If a bruise developed, he needed an emergency blood transfusion in hospital. Sure enough, days after his first steps, my little adventurer toppled over. ‘Oh no,’ I cried, as a bruise formed on his bottom. At hospital, as Colin…

On the same wavelength Get your microwave sparkling in a flash. Place a cleaning wipe on the microwave plate, add orange peelings and a tablespoon of salt. Place a second wipe on top and microwave for one minute. When cool, simply wipe over. Barbara Champion, Meadowfield, Durham Top draw I wanted to jazz up my plain pen and pencil pots. So I wrapped one in some pretty card and decorated the other with a fabric flower taken from my embroidery remnants, then added labels. Don’t they look great? Polly Mannall, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk Put a lid on it We save plastic caps from food containers and use them as lids for opened tins. They fit well, keep food fresh in the fridge and are reusable. Sarah Smith, Tarbock, Merseyside £25…

What does snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan say is one of his go-to meals during a match? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the five-word prize answer. ACROSS 11 Simpler (6) 12 Copy (9) 13 Finished (4) 14 Ambassador (8) 15 Under strain (5) 16 Frozen spike (6) 17 Alike (7) 18 Oblong in shape (11) 20 Terrible (5) 22 Essential (9) 24 Academy Award (5) 28 Birds commonly found in cities (7) 29 Bands (7) 32 Come into view (6) 34 Afternoon theatre show (8) 36 Taken into custody (8) 37 Ceremony (6) 39 Country whose capital is Vienna (7) 40 Singer whose hits include Stand and Deliver (4,3) 45 Calm and quiet state (5) 47 Gratifying (9) 48 Heavenly being (5)…

Is this contagious? Q My daughter is at university and her friend has been diagnosed with meningitis. I’m really worried she could catch it. Sophia, Milton Keynes A Meningitis can be caused by viruses or bacteria. Some types can spread through close contact, like kissing, coughing or sharing drinks. But just being in the same university or class doesn’t usually put you at high risk. Your daughter should look out for symptoms like a fever, headache, stiff neck or feeling very unwell. If she’s been in close contact with her friend, she might need antibiotics, depending on the type of meningitis. The university or health team will usually let people know if they’re at risk. If she hasn’t had the MenACWY vaccine, it’s worth checking with her GP, as it…

Rugby’s Super League Grand Final is traditionally held at which venue? To find out, solve the puzzle… Add a letter anywhere in each of the boxed-off words to fit the clue, eg, Single-masted boat = SLOP + O = SLOOP. Write the added letter in the space provided. Read down the added letters to spell out the prize answer. WIN 2 × £25 Puzzle 9 Single-masted boat Apartments Brake or accelerator, eg Confound Shred finely Rewards Long-barrelled gun Attics Slack Old English coin Groups of cattle Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

As a little girl, Emily was just like other kids. Brimming with energy, she loved running and dancing. Zooming down snowy slopes on family skiing trips. But, aged 7, bouncing on the trampoline in her garden, she started having headaches. ‘I didn’t think anything of them,’ says Emily, now 18. But they were an ominous sign of things to come. On another skiing holiday, aged 14, the pain in Emily’s head intensified and spread. ‘I just felt more and more pain in the back of my head, my neck, my shoulders, down my spine,’ she says. ‘I was getting weird tingling sensations in my arms and legs.’ Her dad Michael and mum Pamela were frantic with worry as she went from ‘a girl who did everything’ to ‘lying in bed…

Lesley Walsh, 43, Padiham, Lancashire The racket coming from the living room was loud as I made my way downstairs. ‘Who wants a pyjama day?’ I asked. My kids Fiona, then 7, Leon, 6, and Thomas, 3, stopped their deafening game and cheered in unison. It was a rainy weekend in 2019 and the kids were bored, stuck indoors. But I knew how to make them happy. They loved spending the day lounging around in their favourite PJs. Especially Thomas. He adored his dinosaur ones and monster slippers. He’d wear them all day, every day if he could. ‘Can we have a picnic too?’ he asked, grinning. ‘OK,’ I laughed. ‘And let me guess, jam sandwiches?’ He licked his lips cheekily. Such a sweet little boy, we all doted on…

In 2007, what did Blue Peter call its new kitten? The name had won a poll the previous year but for another kitten and the choice had then been overruled by producers. Unscramble each group of letters to discover six types of baked goods. Now fit them across the grid and you’ll spell out the answer to the question. 1 I CUBIST 2 CONES 3 BIER NOW 4 CAR RECK 5 TIN ACROSS 6 ACE TEAK WIN £75 Puzzle 17 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

TEXT Simply text CHATB followed by a space and your answer/s (spaces between answers please) full name, door number and postcode to 63333 Texts cost 50p plus standard network charge (maximum 160 characters per text). When you enter by text, you may in future get SMS marketing messages from Future plc and Chat. If you want to receive these, please end your text with OPTIN. Texting tips ● Don ’t put any spaces in an answer that has several words: eg: CHATISTHEBEST not CHAT IS THE BEST. ● If the answer is a name, you need only give the surname: eg: CLOONEY not GEORGE CLOONEY. ● You can use capitals or small letters, but don’t use any commas, etc. ● Leave out answers you don’t wish to enter. INTERNET Join our…

With snaps of far-flung holidays, designer clothes and their pristine house on social media, Andre Zachary Rebelo and his partner Gracie Piscopo seemingly had it all. The pair lived a life of luxury, showcasing it all on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. By 2020, Gracie had nearly a million followers. A successful model and influencer, she posted pics with Louis Vuitton bags, flashy cars and new jewellery. Meanwhile, Andre, then 24, worked as her ‘assistant manager’, negotiating with brands, alongside his own job trading in cryptocurrency – buying and selling digital currencies to make a profit. He was in charge of their finances. As one of four children, Andre was close to his family. His mother Colleen, then 58, lived nearby in Bicton, south-west Perth, Australia, along with his youngest brother…

1 Sit up straight Guilty of gobbling down your dinner in front of the TV? ‘Hunching over when you’re eating puts pressure on the stomach, resulting in acid reflux and gas,’ says nutritional therapist Alison Cullen. Spending too much time on digital devices also encourages bad posture, so make sure you take regular screen breaks and remember to get up and stretch. 2 Try peppermint Sipping peppermint tea or taking peppermint capsules can aid digestion, says nutritionist Jenna Hope. ‘It relaxes the stomach muscles to reduce gastrointestinal symptoms.’ Going on holiday? ‘Peppermint can work really well on a plane, when we’re more prone to bloating due to changes in the air pressure,’ says Jenna. It can also act as a natural remedy for motion sickness, particularly useful if you hit any turbulence. 3 Drink enough water…

Sherri Madison, 49 Pottering around in my studio at home, I pinned pieces of card to my mannequin. Section by section, I built the sleeves, bodice, skirt. Creating a dress made entirely out of cardboard. Sounds unusual, but as an artist I was working on an upcoming exhibition. ‘Be careful!’ I said, as my kids Samantha, then 8, and Max, 4, scurried around. Happy playing together, they didn’t pay much attention to what I was up to that day in August 2020. But later, as we all had dinner with my husband Jack, then 46, and our youngest child, Dorian, 2, Max made an announcement. ‘I’m a dressmaker!’ he exclaimed. ‘How do you know how to make a dress?’ I giggled. ‘Get me a mannequin, I’ll show you!’ he grinned.…

FAKEAWAY Chicken and bacon burger Tastier than any takeaway, these are perfect for a movie night. SERVES 4 PREP 20 MINS, PLUS MARINATING COOK 15 MINS, PLUS RESTING ● 4 skinless chicken breasts ● 284ml buttermilk ● 2tsp flaky sea salt ● 150g plain flour ● 1tsp cayenne pepper ● 2tsp garlic granules ● 1ltr vegetable oil, for frying ● 8 slices streaky bacon ● 4tbsp kimchi, plus 1tbsp of the brine from the pot ● 6tbsp mayonnaise ● 4 brioche buns, halved and toasted ● ½ iceberg lettuce, shredded ● Sliced gherkins ● 4 slices Jarlsberg cheese 1 Put the chicken in a bowl with the buttermilk, 1tsp of the sea salt and some black pepper, and marinate in the fridge, covered, for 1 hr or overnight. 2 Toss the…

Aries 21 March-20 April With the Sun in your sign, you have new ideas about your working life, and this will continue for you over the coming months. Be clear about what you want. ● Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May With the New Moon in your sign at the end of April, it is a prime time to create a practical plan for the coming months. Decide what you can change. ● Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June You can spread yourself too thinly – beware of this. You can’t be all things to all people, so prioritise what you need and trust all will be taken care of. ● Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July After…

Q Is it OK for me to use the same moisturiser in the morning and at night? Maggie Henderson, Liverpool A Yes, you can definitely do that, as long as you pick a simple one. CeraVe Moisturising Cream, £12, Boots, is the ideal fuss-free formula – it hydrates the skin without any extra bells and whistles. If you want to get more results from your moisturiser, however, there are benefits to using one with a few more effective ingredients. Revolution Skin Lustre Lights Brightening Moisturiser, £10, revolutionbeauty.com, contains vitamin C, which protects the skin from damage caused by pollution. It also has skin-plumping peptides. A cream containing glycolic acid or retinol, such as Boots Retinol Night Cream, £12, Boots, should only be used in the evening, because they make your…

Chat winners issue 2 (9 January 2025) Anyone from your town in the list this week..? £1,001 CASH S Sawden, Bridlington £500 CASH L Winstanley, Shoreham-by-Sea C Youngman, London £250 CASH K Verby, Loughton S Fletcher, Milton Keynes £200 CASH A Mahoney, Enfield £100 CASH S Mason, Leeds D Reeves, Warminster P Hooper, Hatfield £75 CASH S Glittens, Solihull £50 CASH A Mees, Livingston K Hardy, Bolton H Newlands, Tain N Nolan-Moy, Hull P Gear, St Albans T Westerman, Lincoln £40 CASH S Jayne, Liverpool £30 CASH G Nicholson, Birmingham J Price, Wolverhampton £25 CASH N Mills, Cleator Moor A Knowles, Brighouse £20 CASH B Walker, Blackburn C Williamson, Workington N Crossley, Sandown J Williams, Llantwit Major K Gerken, Trowbridge S Sture, Birchington C Kerfoot, Liverpool D Wilson, Swindon S…

David Anderson, 77, from Sunderland What’s your happiest childhood memory? Going on an adventure in the country with the family gang, staying in damp, squashed, rickety, old, no-inside-loo caravans, sitting round the campfire, stinking of smoke and playing hide-and-seek in the woods, covered in mud. Do you have any pets? When I was young, I used to catch frogs and toads and keep them in an aquarium, feeding them worms, but now I realise that these creatures should be left alone in the wild if they are to survive. What’s your favourite meal? Anything hot, hot, hot. My favourites are Indian lamb dishes such as madras, jalfrezi, balti or vindaloo – aptly named! WE PAY £50 to everyone we feature on this page! Who’s your best friend in the world?…

Of which composer did John Mainwaring publish a biography in 1760, often said to be the first major biography of any composer? The answer to each clue (apart from the first) begins with the last letter of the preceding answer. The shaded squares will spell out the one-word prize answer. WIN £100 Puzzle 2 Your answer: 1 Skill (6) 2 Simple percussion instrument (10) 3 Number of players on a cricket team (6) 4 French emperor and general (8) 5 Birthplace of Jesus (8) 6 Aircraft that can hover (10) 7 Coloured arc in the sky (7) 8 Ballroom dance in triple time (5) 9 African country whose capital is Lusaka (6) 10 The _ snowman, or yeti (10) 11 Sell to a foreign country (6) 12 Three-legged stand (6)…

JACKETS STYLE TIP This versatile piece can be worn like a shirt with the buttons done up or undone layered over dresses and tops. DRESSES STYLE TIP Embrace a sophisticated colour palette of earth tones. Opt for belted designs and nipped-in waists to accentuate curves. BAGS STYLE TIP Keep your belongings safe and stay hands-free with a multi-compartment cross-body bag. FROM £6 TROUSERS STYLE TIP Although great dressed down with trainers and sandals, you can also elevate the classic cargo trousers with heels.…

Ruth Ajayi, 43, London True-life PATIENT CASEBOOK Waking up, I felt the cold sweat dripping down my forehead. Urgh, a cold, I thought. It was January 2016 and I’d be hit with a winter bug. My muscles felt like they were on fire, my bones ached to the core. And I noticed my fingers looked purple, felt tingly. I was so out of breath too and felt cold. ‘I’m too sick to come in today,’ I told my boss down the phone. Couldn’t face my job as a programme manager. As the days turned into weeks, I didn’t get better. I was 34, enjoyed walking and ate pretty well. I’m too young to feel this sick, I thought. Eventually, after a lot of back and forth, my doctor sent me…

Francesca Bell, 41, Bakewell, Derbyshire Clutching the zip of my work trousers, I tugged and tugged. No use. ‘Nothing fits,’ I groaned to my husband Nick, 39. It was March 2024 and I had a work conference the next day. Working from home as a marketing manager, I only saw my colleagues once a year at this do. I hadn’t tried on any formal clothes for months. And now that I’d dug out my size-18 smart slacks and tried them on, either they’d shrunk or I’d grown. I reckoned I knew which. Usually I wore loose layers and stretchy leggings. Perfect for chasing around after our sons Seb, 6, and Josh, 4. For as long as I could remember, I’d been on the bigger side. And I only had myself…

Self-absorbed mate Q An old friend is really getting on my nerves. She’s constantly talking about herself. I can’t remember the last time she asked me a single question about me or my life. I’d be happy to drop the friendship but we have mutual mates, so I’d still have to see her all the time. Please help! Vicki, 32 A I reckon your pal is insecure. She makes everything about her so she seems more important. She may not even realise she’s doing it. Try playing her at her own game. Interject and bring the conversation back to yourself, love. If she doesn’t improve, try chatting to her about it. Don’t lose a friendship without trying to save it first. Drinking changes me Q I need help saving my…

Go green, save cash Defrosting frozen food in the fridge saves energy compared with defrosting it in the microwave. Just make sure you leave enough time for it to defrost properly! 3 Ways to… save on home insurance Don’t pay more than you need to. Here’s how to reduce costs… 1 Compare, compare, compare! With the latest Association of British Insurers figures showing the average cost for a combined buildings and contents policy is now £396, it’s vital to see if you can save on your home insurance premiums. Firstly, never let your policy autorenew; always shop around to find the best deal. Check price comparison sites like gocompare.com and also check providers not on price comparison sites, such as NFU Mutual. If you need buildings insurance as well as…

Emma Johnson, 34, Leicester My mum Gail wrapped her arms tightly around my newborn daughter. ‘Look at that dimple,’ she cooed. ‘She reminds me of you when you were tiny.’ It was September 2011 and Mum, then 47, was so excited to meet Keira, her first grandchild. Growing up an only child, I’d always adored Mum. But never got along with my dad Ian, 51. At times, our issues had come between me and Mum. Still, she’d been making an effort in the lead-up to Keira’s arrival. Taking me shopping for essentials and giving pregnancy advice. And now, keen to spend time with Keira, she’d visit me and my partner Dale, then 22. Bringing crocheted cardigans and blankets, even handmade bunting. As a first-time mum, it meant the world to…