Table of contents for 26 June 2025 in Chat

Reading Stacey’s story this week, I found myself nodding along (p38). From snaffling stolen sandwiches to not coming back when called, her pooch Ember sounds a lot like my Daphne. So, boy, am I glad that we don’t live by the coast! Someone I am nothing like is Mairi (p44). If I found myself caught up in a robbery, I’d get out of there sharpish. Not Mairi. What a hero! She definitely deserved that free chocolate… Have a great week,…

STYLE TIP Longline shorts look best with heels to elongate your legs. Choose a slip-on style that won’t cut you off at the ankle. STYLE TIP Pair denim with a classic Breton striped T-shirt for a timeless look. Add a pair of sleek sandals to keep it polished. STYLE TIP Make high-street look high-end. Keep things tonal with a matching co-ord and finish off with designer-inspired accessories. STYLE TIP Elevate a plain pair of shorts with a textured or knitted top. Wear it tucked in and add a belt to define your waist.…

Q I’ve heard magnesium supplements help with sleep – is this true and, if so, which one? Ally, Great Yarmouth A If you have low magnesium, taking a supplement might help you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. Magnesium glycinate is easy for your body to absorb and helps relax your muscles and nerves. Magnesium citrate also works but can have a mild laxative effect. Magnesium L-threonate is good for your brain and sleep, and may even help with anxiety and memory. A typical dose is 200-400mg per day, but it’s important to check with your GP first, especially if you have kidney problems. Magnesium can be helpful, but it should be part of a bigger plan to improve your sleep, like sticking to a bedtime routine and creating…

1 Work it out Kegel exercises are one of the most effective ways to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. ‘To perform them, start by identifying the muscles used to stop urination mid-flow. Once you have pinpointed these muscles, contract them for five seconds, then relax for five seconds. Repeat for three sets of 10 repetitions daily,’ says gynaecology and obstetrics consultant Sucheta Iyengar*. 2 Keep a routine Try doing your pelvicfloor exercises when you’re going about your everyday tasks, such as brushing your teeth, watching TV or waiting for the kettle to boil. ‘Day-to-day movements are a great opportunity to engage the pelvic floor,’ says physical therapist Amy Hoover from online fitness programme Pvolve. ‘Try tightening the pelvic floor and drawing in the lower abdominal muscles before you get up from a…

Blinking at the steering wheel, my vision blurred. It was 2018, and at 17, I’d been so excited for my first driving lesson. Like most teens, my head was full of dreams. Getting a car, going to uni, finding my first boyfriend and falling in love. But, sitting in the driver’s seat, I could barely see out of the windscreen. ‘How did it go?’ my mum Louise, then 48, asked afterwards. ‘Not great,’ I replied, telling her about my poor eyesight. ‘You must be tired,’ Mum said. But over the next few weeks, I had other episodes where my vision blurred. And in February, I collapsed and couldn’t even walk to the toilet. Mum and my dad Phil, then 46, were so worried, they took me to Blackpool Victoria Hospital,…

Asparagus and brioche bake This savoury bread-and-butter pud is great for using up bits from the fridge. SERVES 6-8 PREP 10 MINS, PLUS SOAKING COOK 25 MINS ● 12 slices brioche bread ● 75g Gruyère cheese, grated ● 3tbsp chives, snipped ● 6 medium free-range eggs ● 200g crème fraiche ● 250ml milk ● 150g asparagus spears ● 1tbsp olive oil ● 100g cherry tomatoes You will need: ● 32x30cm shallow ovenproof dish, greased 1 Arrange half the brioche flat over the base of the dish, trimming to fit. Scatter over half the cheese and chives. Arrange the remaining brioche in neat rows on top, overlapping them slightly. 2 In a bowl, beat the eggs, crème fraiche and milk together. Stir in the remaining chives and cheese, and season. Pour over…

A drenaline coursed through me as I highkicked into the air. ‘Remember your form,’ my sensei ordered. It was 2009, and after eight years of training, karate kicks were second nature to me. I’d signed up for classes aged 19, at university, wanting to spend more time with a boy I fancied. Instead of falling in love with him, I fell in love with the martial art. I gained a yellow belt, then orange, all the way through to brown… Now 27, there was just one belt left. ‘Congratulations,’ my sensei beamed as my grading came to an end. As he handed me a black belt, I was over the moon. I’d achieved the highest ranking! I continued practising six days a week, alongside my job as an engineer. In…

PS… Pro Sunkissed Shimmer Bronzer, £3.50, Primark Not caught a tan yet? Use bronzer to warm up your complexion. We love the flecks of golden shimmer in this pursefriendly buy, giving skin a litfrom-within glow. Buff onto the parts of your face that the sun would naturally hit – so your forehead, the bridge of your nose and the tops of your cheeks. Sanex Skin Therapy Anti-Dryness Body Wash, £5.50, Boots High temperatures, saltwater and chlorine can all dehydrate our skin, especially when teamed with shaving. Luckily, this hydrating body wash has been formulated with hyaluronic acid to restore lost moisture as you shower. You’ll notice that your skin feels softer and less itchy after just a couple of uses.…

Dear Ava, When I first started writing my children’s book about you, I already knew you so well. Yes, you were a fictional character, but to me you felt so real. Ava Price, 10. A little girl with rosy cheeks and wild, curly hair. Fun-loving and clever with a great sense of adventure, you loved school, had tons of mates. And you were disabled. Born with cerebral palsy, like my son, Luke. The second oldest of five, he used a wheelchair and was non-verbal. For the first years of Luke’s life, he could only nod for yes and shake his head for no. But aged 6, he got a communication aid, similar to the one used by famous physicist Stephen Hawking. By moving his head, he could control the tiny…

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The smell of chips wafted through the air as I heard the front door close. ‘Dinner,’ my foster mum Lucy called. ‘Yum,’ I said, beaming. It was November 1984 and, aged 13, I’d just moved in with Lucy and her husband Steve, then both in their 20s. And it felt like a dream come true. Finally, a proper home. A safe space. For four years, I’d been moved from pillar to post. My mum Jane, then 33, had died in a car accident when I was 6. Now, all I had of her were scattered memories. She was tiny, only 5ft 2in, but still carried me into school on my first day. Another time, I remembered singing in the back of the car, her pretty face smiling back at me…

YOU’RE THE JUDGE! Arriving at school, 7-year-old Alexander Skelton parted ways with his older brother Andrew, 9, and walked his little bro Tanner, 5, to class. He helped him take off his coat and backpack, then gave him a hug. A daily routine for the Skelton boys. But while that school day, in September 2010, started like any other, it ended with their family fractured. That afternoon, their father John Skelton texted their mum Tanya Zuvers to say he’d collected the older two boys and was taking them on a trip to Florida. Tanya, who lived in Michigan, was shocked. She’d had no idea of his plan. In fact, that very day, she’d filed for divorce. She’d requested full custody of their sons, owing to John’s long working hours as…

Help! Sex is sore Q I get small cuts at the entrance of my vagina every time I have sex, even though we use saliva as lubrication. It hurts and makes me nervous – what can I do? Gemma, Aldershot A The small cuts you’re experiencing may be caused by friction or insufficient lubrication, which can happen if there isn’t enough moisture during sex. Using saliva as lubrication isn’t ideal, as it doesn’t provide long-lasting moisture and can even irritate sensitive skin. You could try using a non-fragranced, water-based or silicone-based lubricant from a pharmacy. These products can provide better moisture and reduce friction. Taking your time with foreplay helps your body relax, become more naturally lubricated and reduce tension, making sex more comfortable and preventing irritation. If the cuts…

Music blaring, my tummy rumbled as I made my way to the buffet. It was July 2011 and, aged 21, I was at a house party with mates. I filled a paper plate with salad. ‘There’s definitely no pine nuts in it?’ I asked my friend. She shook her head. But after a few mouthfuls, my lips and tongue started to tingle. My throat felt tight. Next thing, I was struggling to breath and being carried to a friend’s car and driven to hospital. The next 24 hours were a blur. I was given an injection of adrenaline in my thigh. Then anti-inflammatory medication through a UV drip. Whatever was in that salad had triggered a major allergic reaction. I’d always had a bad allergy to pine nuts and bee…

Whoops! I kissed her sis Q I was at a family BBQ, had far too many drinks, and started snogging who I thought was my girlfriend. Only it was her twin sister. I was mortified and put it down to a drunken mistake. Vowed never to tell my partner. Only now the twin’s messaging me, saying she felt something when we kissed. And, to be honest… I think I did too. Kieran, 34 A It’s never good when your life sounds like the plot of a dodgy late-night movie! But this mix-up is not sexy and it’s not clever. Come clean to your girlfriend and explain that you didn’t mean to kiss her sis. Keeping it a secret will only make it worse. Come clean to your girlfriend and explain…

3 ways to… build up a rainy day fund Here’s how to get started saving a pot of money to fall back on, just in case 1 Set your target A good rule of thumb to give yourself a solid financial cushion is to have three to six months of essential outgoings available in an instant access savings account, says MoneyHelper. If you spend £1,000 a month on mortgage or rent, food, heating bills and other things you can’t live without, you might aim for £3,000 to £6,000 in emergency savings. But if this seems unachievable, don’t be put off. Any amount you've saved will help you if you need to pay for something you weren’t expecting. 2 Make a plan Go through your finances so you know exactly where your money…

Glastonbury BBC1, BBC2 & BBC4 ● Time to head to Worthy Farm in Somerset for the biggest weekend in the music calendar, as a host of top artists perform sets for the festival-going crowds from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 June. This year’s line-up includes The 1975 headlining on Friday night, while Neil Young tops the bill on Saturday and Olivia Rodrigo closes the event on Sunday. You can also look forward to performances from Alanis Morissette, Raye, Supergrass and Charli XCX. Look out for the Glastonbury Hits Channel on BBC iPlayer as well, which features classic tracks from some of the artists who have performed over the years. DON’T MISS DON’T MISS The Gilded Age SKY ATLANTIC ● The drama about wealthy families in 19th-century New York returns for…

Q+A Clarifying Shampoo, £8.95, qandaskin.com Every now and again, your hair needs an extra-deep clean to whisk away product build-up. This is the shampoo for the job, using salicylic acid to exfoliate your scalp and colloidal oatmeal to absorb oil. Mylee Gel Nail Wraps in Lady in Red, £13.99, mylee.co.uk These wraps give a salon-quality gel finish that lasts for two weeks, and all you need to do is smooth them on – no LED lamp required. There are over 40 designs to choose from, including block colours and nail art. Indeed Laboratories G.O.A.T Milk Toner, £14.99, amazon.co.uk This toner will slot into your routine between cleanser and moisturiser, to restore balance to oily skin. A must-try if you have blocked pores, uneven texture or excess shine in the T-zone.…

What’s your most memorable moment of the year so far? On holiday in Tenerife in March, listening to a candlelight string quartet after a day at the beach with my husband José, mum Freda and daughter Sophia, 3. The perfect end to a wonderful holiday together. Are you an early bird or night owl? Definitely an early bird. My perfect morning would be getting up before anyone else on a summer’s day, going for a walk to get a coffee and then running all my errands when the shops are still quiet. If you could play any instrument, what would it be? I’d love to play the piano. I find classical piano so relaxing and I love the show The Piano. What’s a recent achievement that made you feel proud of…

The volume of what three-dimensional shape is usually given as V = Bh? The number next to the clue tells you which line the answer’s in. We’ve put a section in to start you off! There may be two Across answers in one line. Down words fill themselves in. The shaded squares spell out the one-word prize answer. WIN £100 Puzzle 2 2 Timely, convenient 4 _ Day, 2009 David Nicholls novel • Spanish for goodbye 6 Surrounded by difficulties • Obtain 8 Skin softener (4,5) Your answer:…

What do actors Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth have in common? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the five-word prize answer. WIN £1,001 Puzzle 4 ACROSS 1 Low in price (5) 4 Authentic (4) 6 Pupils (8) 13 Error (7) 14 Motives (7) 15 Woodwind instrument (5) 16 Legal rules (4) 17 Stuffed with soft material (6) 18 Made a noise like a snake (6) 20 Notion (4) 21 Big cats (5) 22 At a higher volume (6) 25 Physical exertion (8) 28 Underground room (6) 30 Swap (5) 32 Inside or inner (8) 34 Amusing entertainment (6) 35 Finishes in first place (4) 38 Dock (6) 39 Oak tree seed (5) 40 The _ Network, 2010 film (6) 43 Reflection of sound (4) 44 Water down (6) 45 Sketches (8) 48 Javelin (5) 49 Most timid (6) 51 Morally ambiguous situation (4,4) 54 Where an artist works (6) 55 Country,…

True-life PATIENT CASEBOOK Coming round in my car, I felt dazed and confused. As paramedics surrounded the car, I realised what’d happened and panic set in. I’d had a seizure and crashed into a wall, almost driven into a river! It was March 2013, and this wasn’t my first seizure but it’d been nine years since my last. After my very first one at 18 months, I was diagnosed with idiopathic generalised epilepsy aged 8. Over the years I had nocturnal seizures, awake ones and tonicclonic ones, causing loss of consciousness. But after I left school, the seizures had stopped. I had my son Jamie in 2006, then met my husband Gus in 2012. Gus knew I had epilepsy, but he’d never known me to have a seizure – until…

After grabbing a drink from the fridge, I turned back to pick up my freshly made ham sandwich off the kitchen counter. But I was met with an empty plate… And an innocent-looking furry face staring up at me, licking her lips. ‘Not again,’ I sighed. It was November 2023 and it was the second time that week my pooch Ember, then 4, had snaffled my sarnie. Scoffed it in seconds. And so quietly I hadn’t heard a thing! As she wagged her tail at me, so pleased with herself, I couldn’t stay mad. I’d had Ember, a spaniel, since she was a pup and I loved her to bits. A playful pooch, she loved chasing her favourite tennis ball. So clever, she sat and lay down on demand. Even…

Aries 21 March-20 April The Moon in your sign on 20 June helps you gain a fresh perspective on a recent challenge. Channel your energy into something new for the best results. ● Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May On 22 June, the Moon makes its monthly return, bringing a feeling of calm and stability. Make the most of this by spending time with family and friends. ● Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June If you have been in conflict with someone, try to see the situation from their perspective. This will help you both to find another way forward. Be brave. ● Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July As the Sun arrives on 22 June, you feel…

Your questions answered, plus our pick of the products Q Is the SPF in my foundation enough to protect my face? Katie Clark, Manchester A Sorry to burst your bubble – foundation with SPF only provides a fraction of the protection that a dedicated sunscreen does. It’s a nice added extra, but it isn’t a replacement for the real deal. If you’re put off wearing sunscreen because you don’t like how it looks or feels, the key is finding a texture you like and a formula that suits your skin type. E.l.f. Invisi-Stick SPF50 Sunscreen, £13.99, Superdrug, is a handy, non-greasy stick that’s great for anyone with oily skin or who hates the feel of thick suncream. If your skin is sensitive, try P20 Sensitive Face SPF50+, £24.99, Boots, as…

1 Harbour Market Sprawling around a harbour packed with brightly painted fishing boats, this open-air market is a top spot to pick up locally made arts and crafts. From kids’ kites to one-of-a-kind driftwood sculptures, there’s plenty to catch your eye. And if you’re feeling peckish, tempting food stalls offer goodies like coffee and doughnuts, wraps and burgers (harbourmarketwhitstable.co.uk). 2 Whitstable Castle Once a grand family home, this turreted mansion is now a wedding venue. But you don’t have to get hitched to wander through the peaceful, immaculate gardens or scoff a scone in the Orangery Tearooms. In fine weather, grab a hot drink and a slice of cake at the Tea Gardens, which overlook the sea (whitstablecastle.co.uk). 3 Crab and Winkle Way This is a 7.6-mile-long mostly off-road cycle and…

Chat winners issue 13 (27 March 2025) £1,001 CASH SW Pearson, London £500 CASH L Weatherley, Cinderford L Woodrow, Hitchin £250 CASH C Jones, Tonteg C Walsh, Darwen £200 CASH C Clulow, Nottingham £100 CASH S Anderton, Newmarket J Clifton, Portsmouth M Jones, Weston-super-Mare £75 CASH T Taylor, Goole £50 CASH J Snowdon, Felixstowe D Carthy, Edinburgh P Bethell, Birmingham C Robertson, Cupar J Alford, Runcorn J Jones, Pershore £40 CASH J Menzies, Bolton £30 CASH N Baguley, Manchester J Sims, Sheffield £25 CASH L Liversidge, Stevenage C Hodgkinson, Market Drayton Anyone from your town in the list this week..? £20 CASH C Kilpatrick, Motherwell P Vincent, Plymouth L McKay, Solihull T Butcher, Farnborough E Lewis, Oldham M Pile, Barnstaple M Ptak, Callington T Spencer, Nottingham T England, Norwich J…