Innholdsfortegnelse for Chat inside crime 2 - 2016 i Pick Me Up! Special

With everything bursting into life at spring, I'm always keen to try something new. So I take my hat off to dog lover Liza (p10), who had the barking idea to photograph a different pooch every day of the year, including little Winston here - isn't he adorable? Snaps also played a positive role for young cancer sufferers Sarah and Rebecca. (p8). They raised each other's spirits with their funny selfies after chemo made their hair fall out. And for a really shocking pic, turn to p15, to see the gaping hole left in poor Rach's bum by a flesh-eating bug! Also horrific is the story of ‘Sunday Morning Slasher' Carl Watts (p36), who admitted to murdering 12 women. Shocking. You'll laugh reading about a woman christened Jennifer Lopez, who's…

FROM CARING BOYFRIEND TO VIOLENT EX... His fist hit my face, and I squealed in pain For a first date, this was getting heavy. ‘I think I’m falling for you. I don’t want to leave you,’ declared David Darbyshire. ‘Slow down!’ I giggled. I’d known David for years. He’d dated my friend, while I was married. Now divorced, it was spring 2014, and we were having a drink after speaking on Facebook. Life had been tough. I’d nearly died having my son, Noah, in June 2013, after battling with pre-eclampsia, causing high blood pressure. Born 10 weeks premature and weighing just 2lb, he had chronic lung disease and holes in his heart. In hospital for six months, on constant oxygen, he later underwent heart surgery. A single mum, I’d juggled…

I could indulge my love of dogs 365 days a year I’d always been dotty about dogs. Even in my pram, my mum said that I’d reach out to stroke them. One of my first memories, aged 2, is of patting a lovely pooch during a holiday in France. Even now, my family moan that I hold everyone up, when we’re out and about, stopping to stroke strangers’ dogs! So, it sounds bizarre that, despite canines being my favourite of all four-legged friends, I have never actually owned one! Mum was nervous around them, which ruled out having a dog as a family pet. Although I remember the week when we once looked after a friend’s pooch as being one of the best of my childhood. Then, at university, living…

Use a fine needle to pierce a hole in the wider end of an egg to stop it cracking when it’s being boiled. Jacqueline Wilkins, Frome Don’t throw away old kitchen scissors, they’re perfect for fine-trimming your garden bushes. Helen Baldwin, Leeds Replant your garden daffodils into a pretty china cup and saucer set. It makes a lovely gift. Colleen Brunton, Enfield No rolling pin? Use a tube of cling film to flatten out pastry. After, just cut off the bit you’ve used. Rebecca Jepps, Hitchin Using packet cake mixes and various food colourings, you can make a rainbow birthday cake that kids will love. Louise Hext, Hayling Island Don’t throw away all those odd gloves and socks – turn them into handy dusters! Elizabeth Williams, Llanelli…

1 Party on Invite friends over and have a clothes swap where you all trade the clothes you no longer want. 2 A dye job Grab some clothes dye and give tired outfits a fresh new look - tie-dye retro T-shirt anyone?! 3 Sew what?! Just because your fave outfit has a rip doesn't mean it has to be thrown out - get sewing or embroider patches onto it. 4 Seaming is believing Are your top trousers looking a bit frayed at the bottom? Lower the seam to make them neat again! 5 Get accessorising OK, you can't afford an entirely new outfit, but you can give your LBD a bit of a makeover simply by adding a statement necklace, belt or scarf to your outfit! 6 Hunt around Rummage…

THE EXPERT Dr Anna Magee is a psychotherapist at Priory’s Wellbeing Centre in Norwich. Visit www.priorygroup.com PARTY ANIMAL The Christmas work party was months ago but I'm still mortified by my behaviour. I got really drunk and made myself look really unprofessional. If my colleagues had joked about it since, I could bring it up, but no-one has said a word about it, I think because they were so shocked by my behaviour. I should have addressed it the next day, but now it feels like it's been too long to bring it up. Dr Magee says: ‘Reframe the events of the last office party as something you want to learn from. When the subject of the next office party comes up, you will be able to make…

My fiancé, Jeff, 29, and I had a plan – we'd marry in the summer, in 2013. Only, before we'd managed to set a date. 'I'm pregnant!' I gasped. It was a happy surprise, but our wedding would have to be postponed. The following January, our baby boy, Leo, arrived and we moved to a bigger place. First baby, dream home... It was exciting – but costly. Paying for a wedding didn't seem possible. Then, booking Leo's christening at our local church, Jeff came up with a cute idea. 'Let's get married on the same day!' he smiled. We were thrilled when the priest agreed. 'But let's keep it a secret,' I said. I had just six weeks, so had to make decisions fast. We booked a local pub for…

A WILD WALK The kids might moan about being dragged out for a woodland walk, but they won’t be so grumpy when they find out that there’ll be real life monkeys wandering with you at the Monkey Forest in Staffordshire! Yes, 140 barbary macaques roam free there just as they would in the wild! • Adults, £8; kids, £6. www.monkey-forest.com SWING HIGH Take a trip to Crathes Castle in Aberdeen where you can sail through the trees like a howler monkey at Go Ape. Get strapped in before zooming down zip wires, leaping off Tarzan swings and clambering over rope bridges. Munch on a banana or two to keep your strength up! • Gorillas (16+), £26; baboons (10-15 years) £20. Visit goape.co.uk for more information. GOT THE DRIVE? One of the…

1 Snaktastic Cheese and Onion, 75p for 6 bags, Lidl It'd be easy to eat two or three packets of these in a row! Light, crispy and tasty stuffed in a tomato sandwich, they'll become a lunchtime staple. 2 Finest Hand Cooked Mature Devonshire Cheddar and Caramelised Red Onion, £1.59, Tesco Nice and crunchy, these have a great snap to them and a good kick of red onion. They'd be great dunked in hummus for a 4pm snack. 3 Taste The Difference Mature Cheddar and Spring Onion, £1.50, Sainsbury's Very moreish, these are super cheesy. Friends won't be able to keep their hands out of the bowl if you have them with a glass of red wine!…

‘He was a suspect in 26 other killings’ On 23 May 1982, Michele Maday left a Houston nightclub after celebrating her 20th birthday. She was followed home, murdered and her body dumped in the bathtub. The killer moved on to another apartment and confronted two roommates, Melinda Aguilar and Lori Lister. ‘He grabbed me and started choking me,’ Melinda, then 19, later recalled. ‘And he told me if I screamed, he’d kill me.’ Jumping and clapping with glee, the killer tied the girls up. When he tried to drown Lori in the bath, Melinda threw herself off a second-floor balcony, alerting neighbours, who called the police. Melinda and Lori were saved. The man who’d wanted them dead was captured. His name was Carl Eugene Watts. The police didn’t know it…

Hullabazoo Farm at Whipsnade Zoo, Bedfordshire This interactive attraction will allow you and your little ones to get up close to some friendly farm animals. In addition to sheep, make sure you say hello to the piglets, lambs, guinea pigs and even miniature donkeys! • For info, visit www.zsl.org Explorer Zone, Twycross Zoo, Warwickshire There are so many animals to see at this zoo but little ones will love the explorer zone. Not only is there a kid’s play area, but there are alpacas ferrets, a corn snake and yep, you guessed it, Leicester longwool sheep! • Visit www.twycrosszoo.org Jolly Barn and Farm, Folly Farm, Pembrokeshire Tire the kids out in the adventure play area then take them to meet the farm animals in the Jolly Barn, where there are…

‘My hair and nails were brittle and I felt like I had flu’ I was 20 when I first realised that there was something wrong with me. My periods had been regular, but they suddenly stopped. Sometimes, my heart would race. I had no idea why. So I booked an appointment with my GP, who referred me for blood tests that same day at Southend University Hospital. Next morning, I got a call. ‘We need you to come in straight away to talk about your test results,’ a doctor said. Instantly, I panicked. ‘What if it’s something bad?’ I sobbed to my mum, Louise, as she drove me to the surgery. ‘We’ll cross that bridge,’ she reassured me. When we got there, the doctor sat me down. ‘The results show…

‘She looked peaceful, like she was sleeping’ Forever smiling, with her glossy blonde hair and big blue eyes, my daughter was a knockout. Talented, too, Kristina was studying for her dream job as a nurse. As we said goodbye, and I put the phone down, I was brimming with pride. It was 22 September, 2013, and I was planning a night in with my hubby Dave, 60, and our family. Brrrring! The phone went. I missed it first time and tried Kristina, in case she’d rung. A nurse from the Enloe Medical Center answered. ‘You need to come as soon as possible. Your daughter has had an accident,’ she said. But I'd spoken to her only two hours before! With nothing more to go on, me, Dave and two of…

Soon after getting a Labrador puppy, I realised why they had a reputation for eating anything. With her glossy black fur, white spotted paw and cheeky ways, Domino was gorgeous. But, with an insatiable appetite, she thought that everything was on the menu! The runt of the litter, I’d got her from my daughter-in-law, Jude McKenzie, after her two Labs had puppies back in July 2015. And, because of her colouring, my granddaughter, Christina, 6, insisted we called her Domino. She loved long walks, which worked wonders for my osteoarthritis. Living alone, her bouncy personality and constantly wagging tail made her great company, too. So, I was surprised back in January that she didn’t run to greet me when I came back from the shops. Then I spotted her in…

Fluffy kittens, or cute puppies are the usual pets to catch people's eye at animal rescues. But my heart was won by a dishevelled-looking hen. Wings matted, all skin and bone, she wasn't exactly cock of the walk! Already the proud owner of two hens, Rachael and Matilda, I knew I could give her a happy home, though. I'd read about Armitage, as she was called then, in the paper in September 2015. Chicken found drinking from toilet , the headline had read. With missing feathers and severely dehydrated, she'd been discovered in a gaming shop. While customers loaded money into slot machines out front, she'd been hunting water in the back. And the RSPCA needed someone to take her in. Working as a hen expert, I visited farms…

SILLY SNAPS WERE A GREAT DISTRACTION We exchanged selfies to keep our spirits up I was desperate to go under the knife. Like actress Angelina Jolie, I wanted preventative surgery for breast cancer. The disease had killed my mum, Melita, at 53 in 2012 and her mother, Eileen, before her, while my great gran, May, died from ovarian cancer. After Mum’s death, I went to Leicester Royal Infirmary’s genetic testing clinic in January 2014. I didn’t have the BRCA1 or 2 genes, showing a genetic predisposition to breast cancer. But two months later, I noticed my left nipple was slightly leaning. Referred to Leicester University Hospital, I had a breast examination and an ultrasound scan. ‘I’ll explain what’s going on when we finish,’ said the sonographer. Then I was sent…

WHO’S THE BOSS? Karen, 29, York Sheila says: Karen's a sensual and generous person. She gives a lot to whatever she does, but holds a bit back so as to not give everything. While she's friendly, she chooses who she lets into her inner sanctum and will be a bit guarded about who she trusts. But once you're in, she's a great friend. She'll make a good boss: passionate, controlled and organised. Karen says: I have to admit, Sheila was very accurate. I am definitely picky about who I trust, but am extremely close and loyal to my very best friends. I've frequently been told I'm a ‘natural born leader' and I pride myself on being super-organised! A LUST FOR LIFE Freya, 32, Basingstoke Sheila says: Freya is outgoing and…

THE SMILE HID MY SUFFERING He locked the door, asked me to undress Talking about it dredged up awful memories I'd buried Growing up, we’d always known everyone on our street. All the kids played together and we’d often hang out at our neighbour Richard Cornwell’s house. He lived over the road, had kids a similar age to me. He always had barbecues and parties - and if you ever needed anything, he’d be there. And if I wasn’t at Richard’s, I’d be hanging around with my friend, Lisa Edwards. She was the only one on our street with a Nintendo. But life wasn’t perfect... By 1994, when I was 8, I was being bullied. ‘Your trainers are so old,’ they’d laugh. I hated being ridiculed, would often skip school.…

‘At 6am, after 30 hours of driving, we finally arrived’ There’s nothing quite like a bit of pre-holiday shopping. As me and my sister, Gill, 22, were on Friday 5 September, the day before we were flying to Italy for our sister’s wedding. Sam, 30, and her fiance, Richard, 32, live in Australia, and we hadn’t seen them for a whole year. It’d be a huge family gathering! But as we shopped, I got a text. Your flight's cancelled. There was a strike. What? No! Panicked, I rang my parents. But they couldn’t get new flights before the big day on Tuesday. ‘We’ll have to drive,’ I said. That night, Richard’s family, then me, my son, Jacob, 4, and my parents, plus Gill, her fiancé and their 2-year-old all left…

‘Doctors realised her blood pressure was soaring’ ‘She couldn't even sit up. Like a newborn baby’ Why was life so unpredictable? One minute, I was celebrating my pregnancy with my fella, Danny Campbell, 26, and my four kids. The next, my youngest, Lucie was horribly sick and I was rushing her to Barnsley Hospital. It had started in October 2015 with a tummy bug. But, within days, she was hallucinating and I was fretting to her brothers Callum, 19, Connor, 15 and Billy, 13. Becoming weaker and weaker, she soon couldn’t keep down any food or drink. ‘She’s lifeless,’ I sobbed to Danny. ‘I thought she was getting better.’ Eventually, I decided hospital was my only option, telling Danny, who was working as a primary school cover supervisor nearby. Lucie,…

‘For four months, I posted pictures of everything I ate’ Being pregnant gave me an excuse to eat rubbish and slob about. Trouble was, it wasn’t doing me any favours. Plagued by aches and pains, I was diagnosed with symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD). This meant my hip bones and pelvis were rubbing together, because of my weight. Always large, at just 22, I was on crutches for the final month of my pregnancy. And, after Mya was born in January 2014, my weight stuck at a stubborn 16 stone. A size 18, at playgroup other mums chased about after their kids. But I was too embarrassed to waddle along, breathless, beside them. Shame didn’t stop me eating junk, though. ‘I’ve just given birth!’ I’d bleat, wolfing down a fry-up. My…

‘I was virtually egg-free. I'd be infertile by 30’ Humming along to the radio, I was full of beans. ‘Because I'm happy,’ I sang along in my head to Pharrell’s hit. A recruitment consultant in Essex, our office always worked with the radio on. It was fab! Suddenly, my ears pricked up, as an advert came on, appealing for egg donors to help infertile couples. ‘Some people can’t have children,’ the voiceover said. The words echoed in my head over the next few days. At 23, I didn’t feel ready to have kids myself. But I loved them and wanted to help others. After thinking about it long and hard, I made my mind up. And my mum, Gill, now 55, backed me all the way. ‘It’s an amazing gift…

‘I've fought hard to establish my own identity’ Watching her belting out hits, while busting eye-popping moves, J.Lo was truly captivating. But being called Jennifer Lopez, like I was, couldn’t be less desirable! A skinny teen, when I reached 15, the kids at school would jeer at me, ‘J.Lo, where’d ya booty go?’ Sadly, I looked nothing like J.Lo, despite sharing her name, and certainly didn’t have her famous booty! Tall and slender, I had to laugh off the jibes. But they hurt. Some kids could be cruel. Even as an adult, my name would be called out and everyone would look around. Then, seeing me, their faces would fall. Disappointed. And when I was introduced to people, they’d often laugh! When I’ve applied for jobs, I’ve feared people haven’t…

Life is so hard when you're dripping with pearls and diamonds... The last guy you dated was no prince, so are you willing to pucker up and get your happy ending? You know the song Run Rabbit Run ? Is it actually about a bunny running the country? Looking at the sad expression, you have to wonder if there's a thorn in his crown! It's vital to get your full eight hours in before having a right royal knees-up Sitting on her throne, the royal wee is ready to come out. Think this fella will be king? You've got to be kidding!…

It felt like there was acid bubbling under my skin An aggressive bacteria... Necrotising fasciitis is a rare infection, often described as flesh-eating disease. It spreads quickly and aggressively. Symptoms to watch out for include pain out of proportion to any external signs of infection, a small but painful cut or scratch, fever and other flu-like symptoms. A sharp pain shot across my right buttock. ‘Ouch! It feels like I’m being stabbed,’ I told my husband, Bryan, then 40. That morning, 24 March 2013, I’d noticed a 5cm scratch on my right hip. It was on the spot I’d injected myself with my multiple sclerosis medication a few days earlier. I’d been diagnosed with MS in 1994, and suffered the odd relapse, but never let it stop me living my…

1 www.moneysavingexpert.com This is a site you probably visit every time you’re looking for financial advice, but did you know it also has a whole section dedicated to travel? Click the travel and transport tab to discover loads of info! 2 www.skyscanner.net Yet to visit this site? It’s great for finding the cheapest travel deals. Input the destination you want to travel to and when, and it will compare prices from loads of companies, including easyJet, Ryanair, Thomson and Monarch. 3 www.lastminute.com It’s an oldie but a goodie! Find cheap holidays at hotels you love, or go for broke – book a Top Secret Hotel, where you get a great discount but only find out the hotel details after booking! 4 www.tripadvisor. co.uk This isn’t just a great…

Lisa Edwards, 29, says: 'The first time Cornwell abused me was at his house. I was just 6 years old. He was tickling me behind the sofa when he put his hands in my knickers. I started crying. 'I just tickled her too hard,' he laughed to people. I left wondering if what'd happened was normal. When home life was hard, Richard's was where I'd go. By the age of 10, he was giving me £10 notes. 'Buy whatever you like,' he said. 'Put it in my room and we'll look at what you've bought.' When we came to look at the sweets and chocolate I'd bought, he'd sexually abuse me. 'I gave you what you wanted, now it's my turn,' he'd say. The abuse stopped when I was 13.…

We’d all love a man to sweep us off our feet. But after my first date with security guard, Andy Starkey, in May 2011, I’d started to wonder if romance really was dead. Your see, it had involved taking my car in for an MOT! Hardly the stuff movies are made of! On another date, my favourite film, An Officer and a Gentleman left Andy cold. ‘What did you think?’ I asked, after swooning over Richard Gere, as the credits rolled. All right,’ he shrugged, clearly unimpressed. ‘I prefer action films, though.’ However, with time Andy, 35, proved he could be very sweet. He’d buy me flowers, run me bubble baths... Then on 2 May 2012, a package arrived for me at work. ‘I’ll get it later’ I told colleagues…

‘Lee had the intruder pinned up against the wall’ It was 30 June 2014 - and just another quiet evening. After putting my little one, Dahlia, 7 months, to bed at 9.30pm, I had a call from my fella, Lee Sullivan, 24. ‘Shall I come over?’ he asked me. Lee, Dahlia’s dad, had his own place, stayed over with me for a couple of nights a week. Around an hour later, after cuddling on the sofa and watching a bit of telly, we headed to bed. First, though, I looked in on Dahlia. She seemed to be a little restless, so we took her into the bedroom with us. Soon, the three of us had settled into a deep sleep. But, suddenly, I sprung awake with a start. Looking at…

‘We raised £5,000 in total for the charity’ It was one of the most magical days of my life. There I was, at the starting line of the Disney World Marathon in Florida, feeling just like Cinderella. After years of battling with chronic ill health, running a 26-mile race to raise money for poorly youngsters, was my equivalent of making it to the ball! Now running a production company with my friend Sara Huxley, 25, it was incredible how far I’d come since being diagnosed with post-enteritis syndrome at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital when I was 14. It meant I had no stomach lining and couldn’t keep anything down. Sick almost constantly, I missed loads of school. At first, doctors thought it was an extreme sickness bug. Struggling with…

Spring Minted Leg of Welsh Lamb Serves 4 Prep Time 10 mins Cook time 90 mins Seasoning: For the mint sauce: 1 Weigh the Welsh Lamb joint and calculate the correct cooking time. Place the Welsh Lamb on a board and make several slits into the joint. 2 Line a large roasting tin with foil. Place the oil, onions, seasoning, mint, vinegar and brown sugar into the roasting pan, add the Welsh Lamb and roll around to coat thoroughly. Roughly squash some of the onions, mint and sugar into some of the slits - leave to marinate for two hours, covered and in the fridge. 3 Remove from the fridge, spoon over any marinade juices, scrunch the foil very loosely around…

‘I couldn't believe how beautiful the area is’ When it comes to holidays, while I do love a good package holiday, I must admit I often prefer the road less travelled. I just love the chance to escape it all and discover somewhere I’ve never considered visiting before. That’s why, when I was recently trying to decide where to go for a week away, I found myself booking a trip to the beautiful country of Serbia in Eastern Europe! To be honest, my knowledge of the country was limited - I knew it’s home to the phwoarsome tennis superstar, Novak Djokovic and I’d heard of the capital city, Belgrade, but that was about it. So, I had a good Google search before booking my trip and discovered it’s a kooky…

Wee problem Q My 63-year-old husband’s started needing to pee really often. He’s anxious about it but won’t go see his GP. Could it be cancer? Maggie-Anne, Tunbridge Wells A There are many causes for this. As men age, their prostate gland can become enlarged, which creates pressure on the urethra, restricting urine flow. This may mean the bladder fills up more often, making men need to urinate more. Most often, this is benign or non-cancerous, but men should see their GP to discuss symptoms thoroughly. It could be that further examinations are needed, and if it is a benign enlargement, treatments can help. Family matters Q My boyfriend’s awaiting biopsy results for a lump on his testicles. If it is cancer, does it mean we won’t be able to…

Burping While belching might sometimes be a bit embarrassing (or thought of as a bit rude if you're in polite company!), most of the time it's completely normal and happens because we've swallowed too much air, possibly from eating too quickly. Gassy drinks, like fizzy drinks or beer, can really bring on the burps too, and certain medications are known to make us belch more. More rarely, excessive burping can be linked with health conditions, such as heartburn, coeliac disease and lactose intolerance – but if this is the case, burping is never the only symptom.…

Fall for fibre Fibre is an important part of our diet as it keeps everything moving through our digestive system. If you’re having trouble going to the bathroom, you might not be getting enough fibre. Good sources include wholegrain or brown bread, porridge and fresh fruit and vegetables. A baked spud will give you a daily dose too. H2O on the go To keep hydrated and flush out toxins that can cause constipation, have 6-8 drinks every day that have water in them. This can include herbal teas and fruit squash – or even better, why not keep a bottle of water in your handbag? Avoid fizzy drinks, and try to keep booze to a minimum. No more burgers Those bacon butties will have to go too! Processed meat like…

A ball of fluff with huge eyes looked up at me. Our kitten, Ludo, was adorable - and teeny! ‘But not for long!’ I said to my hubby, Matthew. Ludo was a Katemaz Maine Coon - the largest breed of domestic cat. Matthew and I already had two whoppers at home, Arwen and Krum - they’d been as tiny as Ludo once... What we didn’t know was just how big Ludo would get! Now nearly 2, Ludo weighs 2st - and he’s still growing... Except for his size, Ludo is just like other cats, and loves a fuss. But, if he gets much bigger, I won’t be able to pick him up for a cuddle! People do get a fright when they first meet him, but it doesn’t take long…

VIRGO 24 Aug-23 Sept This is not a time when it pays to be hasty. The information you receive from others may be at best mistaken, and at worst downright wrong. Therefore, you're going to need to handle any sense of impatience you feel. You can certainly feel very passionate about the things that are important to you, and will find yourself determined to have your voice heard. This could create a certain amount of potential for conflict. It's not that you'll necessarily want to be at odds with people, but this unbridled need to speak out is going to be hard to temper, be it in a close relationship or around financial and business interests. There is also a side of you that may make some very traumatic sudden…