Innholdsfortegnelse for Best of 4 (2015) i Chat Specials

Wow! Have we got a mega monthly special for you! Stuffed with 65 real-life reads, it’s time to get comfy. There’s Helen, who’s bravely speaking out after her ex drilled a corkscrew into her NECK (p4). Then Kelly, who takes her micro pig to work (p65). So cute! You’ll find our super 23-page mini-mag, Crime! Love! Shock! starting on p27. Poor Toni was beaten while pregnant with twins (p36). And Sambany (p39) lived with a huge one-stone tumour on his face – for 20 years! There’s also top readers’ tips, health and weight loss. Plus plenty of cash prize puzzles! Don’t miss Chat October Special, on sale 10 September. This is my last issue, so you’ll find a new face here next month!…

Most people have something precious in their family. But my family heirloom is a little different from most… It's a 116-year-old tortoise! Back in 1909, my grandmother Margaret Cloonan bought 11-year-old Tommy the tortoise from a market. It was a pretty exotic pet back then. I still remember playing with Tommy in her garden. He'd nestle in the bushes. Pop his head out when I called his name. Eventually, Grandma passed on and Tommy was left to my mum Rita. Although I was older by then, I never tired of sprinkling his shell with water when the sun was out. He loved it! ‘I want you to have him next,' my mum said. So, in 2008, when she sadly died, I fulfilled her last wish. Tommy, then 109, settled straight…

I rolled my eyes as I heard a familiar clinking coming from the lounge - Mourad and his marbles… My hubby, 50, has loved them since we'd visited the Marble Museum in Devon - so much that I thought he'd lost his marbles! Then a friend bought him a marbles book which had an ad in it for the World Marble Championships in Tinsley Green, West Sussex. 'It's been held at the same pub since 1938!' I marvelled. There were special tables, too - and Mourad was fascinated. So on 18 April 2003, we travelled 200 miles to The Greyhound Pub in Tinsley Green, to watch, and again the year after! Soon, I too was caught up in the game and we'd play it at home. But it's not how…

What a whopper! When my daughter Enola was born on 1 December 2003, she weighed a very healthy 11lb 1oz. So it was no surprise that she’d been a bit squashed in my womb, causing her left foot to point the wrong way. ‘She has positional talipes,’ the doctor explained. ‘But it’s nothing to worry about.’ He explained Enola’s foot had been caught against my ribcage, but that it would correct itself over time and with physio. ‘But we’ll keep an eye on her,’ the doctor went on. ‘In case the talipes has had a knock-on effect on her hips.’ My mind was at rest, and I was happy to have my beautiful Enola – a sister for my first daughter Cora, then 5. Within weeks, Enola’s left foot had…

When Summer married Will Inman in 2004, she didn’t just gain a husband – she got a mother-in-law and father-in-law, too. Will was close to his dad Bill. Bill had converted his garage in Ohio into a makeshift church, named the building Mercy Ranch and got a minister’s licence. He planned to use it to help widows and orphans. Ironic, considering Summer could’ve done with help herself. She and her mother-in-law Sandra rarely appeared outside and, when they did, were entirely dressed in black. Friends assumed they were kept women. In reality though, Summer was trapped in an abusive marriage. And, with three kids, it was difficult for her to leave. Summer was scared and secluded. She wrote in her diary of feeling as if the family was controlled by…

To look at the four babies gurgling side by side in their crib, you might mistake my living room for a crèche. Only you’d be wrong. These babies might all be in nappies still, but they are all my children. Since falling pregnant with triplets weeks after bringing my newborn son home from hospital, life has been chaotic. But I wouldn’t change a thing. There was once a time when I feared I’d never have children. After meeting my partner Benn on holiday in 2011, it wasn’t long before we knew that we had found something special. Both keen to become parents, we started trying. But with every month that passed, the arrival of my period brought another swell of disappointment. It was a year after we started trying when,…

Staring at the picture of how I used to look, you’re probably in shock. The veiny, shiny tumour twice the size of my head, squashed the features on my face. It covered most of my neck and hung down over my chest. Well, what if I told you I lived like that for 20 long years? Carrying around a one-stone growth – about the weight of two newborn babies. Hell! It all started back when I was in my 20s. My left cheek started to swell. ‘Oww,’ I winced, chewing my dinner. I thought it would go down. Instead, it kept growing, and growing… and growing. ‘What’s on your face?’ my grandson Flavy asked. But I didn’t know either. And in time, I became self-conscious around friends and family. Twenty…

Singing away and snapping selfies on my phone, to look at my 7-year-old girl Charlotte it’s hard to believe she was bed-ridden and incapable of speech three years ago. Today, as she dances around me, I stop her to put something in her mouth – cannabis. But before you judge me, you need to know that this drug is the only thing that separates these two drastically different versions of my child. After meeting my husband Matt at university aged 21, we married and spent a decade travelling the world. In 2004, our son Max was born and two years later I fell pregnant again with twin girls, Chase and Charlotte. Life seemed perfect, but when the twins were 3 months, without warning, our happy little bubble was burst. Matt…

Somewhere in my handbag, my mobile phone pinged. Fishing it out of the tangle of screwed up receipts and loose change, I squinted at the screen. ‘Another blooming message,’ I sighed. You see, after years of being single, I’d recently joined an internet dating site. But I was fast losing hope. It wasn’t that I hadn’t been getting attention. My inbox was flooded with messages. But nobody had caught my eye. ‘What if I never find the one?’ I moaned to pals. ‘It’ll happen when you least expect it,’ they encouraged. I hoped they were right. One evening, in June 2010, I was on Facebook when a notification popped up. It was an old classmate inviting me to a school reunion. I’d graduated way back in 1973. It would be…

FILM/TV 1 Which of the following is a BBC1 game show hosted by Emma Willis and Reggie Yates? a Prize Money b Prize Fighters c Prized Away d Prized Apart 2 Which new film is a reboot of the superhero franchise which previously starred Ioan Gruffudd and Jessica Alba? a Fantastic Four b Superman c The Avengers d Batman 3 Which popular TV soap opera is set in the fictional suburb of Erinsborough? a Home and Away b Hollyoaks c Neighbours d Doctors 4 Which of the following is a new film starring Henry Cavill and based on a popular 1960s TV show? a The Man from U.N.C.L.E. b The Man from A.U.N.T.I.E. c The Man from C.O.U.S.I.N. d The Man from…

I’ve always been something of an outdoorsy girl. When I was young, while my friends were into boys, I got into hiking and climbing – and never grew out of it! Still, my hobbies and love life didn’t collide until 2008 – when I met Andy, 25, up Mount Everest! I was studying Uniform Public Services at college, hoping to become a nurse one day. My old lecturer took a group of us up Everest and Andy was in the gang. We were trekking high up, but it was Andy, not the altitude making me light-headed! Back at home, we realised our adventurous hobbies weren’t the only thing we shared. There was something deep between us. After a few months, we were talking about marriage and kids. That Christmas, we…

As he climbed off the coach after a school field trip, my son Sam, then 8, looked upset. ‘What’s the matter?’ I asked him. ‘My hands really hurt,’ he moaned, holding them out. They were swollen and he said he felt like they were burning. A feeling of dread washed over me. ‘Let’s get you out of the sun,’ I said. This had been my biggest fear when having children. That I’d pass on erythropoietic protoporphyria – also known as EPP – to them. It’s a rare, severe genetic condition that causes an agonising reaction to sunlight. My body produces too much of a chemical called protoporphyrin. It absorbs the energy from sunlight, which sets off a chemical reaction. The nerve endings in the skin interpret it as itching or…

Walking to work with my Dotty on a lead, people always stop and stare. Some even come over to give her a friendly pat. Well, who could blame them? It’s not every day you see a micro pig commuting to work! I’m not telling porkies… Not only do I have a pet pig, but she comes to work with me every day! It was actually my hubby Roger, 35, who started it all. He’d had a passion for piggies for years. Before one birthday, he started dropping hints. ‘I’d love one of those micro pigs,’ he told me. I thought they were adorable, too. So we went to visit a dealer, who had a litter of 6-week-old hogs. They were so tiny – just 30cm long – but the dealer…

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If he wasn’t scrubbing the floor, he’d be cooking up a storm. I’d never known a bloke so keen on housework! I’d met Luke Dowdle years back, through friends. And in April 2012, when he said he needed a place to kip, I was happy to offer him my sofa. Since then, Luke had made dinner every night. ‘You don’t have to do that!’ I’d tell him. ‘I want to,’ he’d insist. He’d even wash up after, too! I’d been single for years, and I enjoyed Luke’s company. In fact, I had a crush on him. And, one night, when he’d been staying with me for three months… ‘I fancy you,’ he’d smiled. ‘I feel the same!’ I’d blurted. Soon, we were in love. I was happy. For a while...…

Everyone knows that parrots are born talkers right? Wrong! When I got my African Grey parrot, Slipmatt, back in 2005, the breeder told me he probably wouldn’t speak until he was about 9 months. My boy proved her wrong, though. Just three months later, he was copying wolf whistles from the radio and mimicking me. Over the next few years, Slipmatt picked up all sorts of phrases. If he saw me picking up my keys, he’d call out, ‘See you later!’ Amazing! But it also meant that me and my partner Jessica, 30, had to be careful about what we said around him! My son Reilly, now, 6, was his best mate, and I didn’t want him hearing anything rude. Thankfully, Slipmatt didn’t pick up any swear words. But he…

Counting out loud, I put my hands over my eyes, while my big brother Andy, then 11, scarpered. ‘A hundred, 99, 98, 97…’ It was 22 April 1972. We were playing hide and seek in the woods at the bottom of our road in Coulsdon. Back then, kids played outside on their own all the time. No-one thought twice about it. ‘Count slowly!’ Andy called. ‘96 Mississippi, 95 Mississippi… Coming to get you – ready or not!’ I shouted, when I got to ‘one’. But as I opened my eyes, there was a man watching me. He was tall with dark eyes. ‘Hello,’ the man growled. Immediately, I felt scared. ‘Andy,’ I whimpered. But he was hidden in some distant corner of the woods. Then the sinister stranger asked me…

Looking across at my son Michael, 25, I couldn’t stay quiet any longer. ‘She’s no good for you,’ I said. Kelly Emery lived on our street when she was a teen and had bad news written all over her. Still, my warning words fell on deaf ears and Michael kept dating her. My son had always had a rebellious streak. He’d been in and out of trouble with the police, and I’d hoped a nice girl would sort him out. That wasn't Kelly. ‘He’ll see sense sooner or later,’ my husband Terry, 56, soothed. But then Kelly fell pregnant with a little boy. I tried my hardest to be supportive, invited Kelly round for hearty roasts. Even took her to antenatal classes. And it was during one of these sessions…

Cycling home after having a rare night off from mum duty and seeing my friend Laura, her parting words rang in my ears. ‘Text me when you’re back, so I know you’re safe,’ she’d said. But I never got to send that text. As I steered my bike to cross the road, I noticed headlights in the distance. The last thing I remember was hearing an engine roar. I woke up three hours later in a hospital bed, surrounded by doctors, nurses and my mum and dad. Dazed and dosed up on pain medication, I couldn’t take in what was happening. ‘You were hit by a car,’ explained the nurse. Before I had time to absorb much more, I was sedated. The next day, I found out what had happened.…

The fountains outside our hotel shot jets of water up into the air. Grinning, we took in the spectacular view. A perfect replica of the Eiffel Tower, scorching sunshine, the bright neon lights of the Las Vegas strip surrounded by endless desert. ‘We’re in Vegas!’ I cheered to my wife Sue, 57. We were at the beginning of our holiday of a lifetime. And it was all thanks to Chat Mag Bingo! Because, last year, I won a staggering £102,945 on the Wonderland slots! It all started back on 8 July 2014. At 5.30pm, I got home from my job as a team leader for an electronics company. Sue was on her shift as a nurse at the local hospital. So I did a roast chicken dinner, popping Sue’s in…

My dad Leonard reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out his treasured red and white rosary. He pressed the beads into my palm and covered my hands with his. ‘Keep it always, Immaculée,’ he said. Tears rolled down my face. Why was this happening? It was April 1994, I was 24. Only hours before, I’d had dinner with Dad, my mum Rose and brothers, Damascene, 27, and Vianney, 21. But now things had changed. I lived in Rwanda, where a tribe called the Hutus had begun a bloody campaign to stamp out the Tutsis, which I belonged to. A violent group of Hutus had formed a rebel army and these men were rampaging through my country, armed with machetes. They’d reached my village and now they were surrounding my…

People say that love strikes when you least expect it. I’m proof of that! A single mum to Harley, 4, and Braydon, 3, I missed them like crazy when I was working in a care home. I often talked about them to my colleague Luke, 19. ‘I was only 17 when I fell pregnant,’ I confided. ‘And five weeks after Harley was born, I found out I was pregnant again.’ ‘That was quick!’ Luke said. ‘Their dad’s not on the scene any more,’ I explained. A few months after we met, in June 2006, Luke and I went out on a date. ‘I really like you,’ he said. ‘I like you, too, but I’m not sure about a relationship,’ I told him. ‘Take a chance,’ he pleaded. So I did!…

Don’t you hate it when you get a bus seat to yourself, and an evil Sith Lord comes and sits next to you? We love these snaps of Stormtroopers, R2-D2 and Darth Vader testing out London’s transport facilities. It was in aid of the launch of a Star Wars Xbox game. You know what we’d have thought if we saw this bunch waiting at our stop? Yoda better get another bus! At a bus stop far, far away...…

The dotted line blurred as the doctor handed me a pen. ‘I’m sorry,’ I said, looking him straight in the eye. ‘But I won’t sign it.’ It was June 2012. I was at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. Again. Only this time, it seemed more serious than ever. For years, I’d had cysts growing on my ovaries. And in 2010, I’d had my right one removed. It’d been pressing down on the nerves in my stomach, causing me agony. The cysts, together with the fact I had low levels of progesterone which prepare your body for pregnancy, meant only one thing. I had next to no chance of conceiving naturally. Doctors had told me 12 years ago, when I’d first suffered with the cysts. They couldn’t say what caused them. ‘You’ve let…

Music blared through the community centre, and I leapt around in time. ‘Salsa!’ the teacher shouted, as we all stepped to the side. It was 5 July 2013, and I was at the Zumba class I came to twice a week. This, plus my job as a swimming teacher, and having my daughters Sienna, then 6, and Leona, 4, meant I was always on the go. ‘Now run on the spot,’ the teacher called. But as I tried to lift my feet up, they wouldn’t move. Felt like lead weights. ‘Are you OK?’ my friend Clare asked. ‘My legs feel funny,’ I replied. Within minutes, I lost feeling in my lower legs and feet. I ignored it for a while, thinking it was nothing. They’d ached a week before, when…

Sipping a cup of coffee, I smiled at my partner across the table. ‘Perfect coffee, perfect company,’ I said. ‘Having a brew with you always beats the daily grind!’ he winked. It was 5 May 2014 and me and Pete, 40, were at a café in St Martin’s Gate, Worcester, where we went every day. We liked the relaxed atmosphere and strong coffee. And it was all the more special because it was where we’d met. Back in October 2013, I’d been single for 18 months. I hadn’t been looking for love when I’d gone into the café that day. Annoyingly, all the tables were full. Grabbing my coffee, I’d plucked up the courage to ask a bloke sitting alone if I could share his table. Thankfully, he was friendly.…

I FINALLY HALVED MY BIG FAT PROBLEM! A slimming club helped me to win my weight battle... It’s taken me 20 years to lose nearly 9st – but I got there in the end! I started to gain weight in my 20s, and joined Scottish Slimmers back in 1993, just after I got married. I lost 6st, got pregnant, went back after, but when I’d almost reached my target weight, I gave up – and the weight crept back! A couple of years later, I returned, lost a couple of stone – and stopped going again! What with working, and looking after my family, I never really had time for myself or found the motivation to reach my target weight. That was, until 2013 when, at almost 15st, I returned.…

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Standing over the bathroom scales, my heart raced and I began to sweat. ‘Come on, you can do it,’ I said, willing myself to climb on. It might sound silly, but I’d been battling with my size since childhood. Avoided weighing myself at all costs. So I’d recently decided to go on a diet. But after a month of ditching my usual greasy grub, I was scared I wouldn’t have lost anything. Taking a deep breath, I stepped on and peered down at the dial. My jaw dropped. I’d shed nearly a stone! Finally, I was on track to getting my dream body. Only days later, I was in the shower when I felt something. A lump in my breast. The next day, I went to my GP, who referred…

Applying a final sweep of mascara, I gave myself a once-over in the mirror. At nearly eight months pregnant I was huge, but I wanted to look nice to meet my boyfriend Ben Schumann, 21, for dinner. Only just as I was heading out the door… Splash! My water’s broke. Not due for another five weeks, I called my mum Karen, 49, in a panic. ‘It’s too soon,’ I cried. ‘You need to take me to hospital.’ My 3-year-old daughter Meah was having a sleepover at her dad’s, so I’d been home alone. As another contraction shuddered through me, my heart pounded with fear. ‘Try and keep calm,’ Mum soothed, helping me to the car. That was impossible though. Frantic, I messaged Ben. I'm heading to hospital, the baby's on…

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Dragged from my sleep by the sound of my alarm, I groaned. It had been another restless night. ‘Are you sure you’re ready to go back to work, love?’ my hubby Mark, 41, worried. I’d suffered a miscarriage a few weeks earlier in 2013. The baby had stopped growing at just 6 weeks old. Devastating. One moment, I’d been laid on the sofa, stroking my tummy. The next I’d collapsed, haemorrhaging blood. Mark raced me to hospital. There, docs broke the news. We’d lost our little one. I figured the best distraction was to throw myself into my job as a pharmacist. So, although I’d been feeling fluey for a few days, I was determined to return to work. But by lunchtime, my head was throbbing. Sat in my manager’s…

A lump caught in my throat as I handed him over. 'It's just a week,' Kevin, my partner, 61, said. It was still hard, saying goodbye to my baby - my beloved rabbit, Rolo, that is! We got him in June 2013, when my eldest Caitlen, now 20, went to uni. I missed her terribly and snuggling up with Rolo helped. That August, we were off on holiday to Cyprus, so Rolo had to go to a rabbit hotel. He settled in happily and, as we drove away, I realised - I could run a holiday home for bunnies myself! From the minute we left, till we got to Cyprus, I was rabbiting on about it. And, by the time we got home, we had a plan. 'Let's hop to…

They say life starts at 40 – not for me! Sure, I had an amazing hubby Trevor, 53, and two boys – Russell, now 29, and Ian, 27. But something big was ruining my happiness… My body. After having Russell and Ian, 23 months apart, I’d gone from being relatively slim, to 15st. I’d sit on the settee with the kids, stuffing my face with sweets. I’d tried dieting, but had got bored and put the weight back on. But in May 2012, I realised my 50th was approaching… and I wanted a big birthday, not a big body! So, at the end of June that year, I joined Slimming World. ‘I’ll come, too,’ Trevor offered. He’d always been active but, after quitting smoking, he’d put on a few extra…

Cat’s a goal My kitten Mia never misses a chance to watch footie on the telly! Hayley Green, Bournemouth Chick it out Look at my chickens playing in the leaves. The light one is Cupcake and the darker one is Pancake. And, no, despite their names, we aren't going to eat them! Denise Smith, East London Hairy host Jasper decided to try out for Come Dine with Me . Carla Trott, Yeovil Losing his head Luckily for this pooch, our Alsatian Jenson is a placid chap – this could've been nasty! Sheila Beeby, Ormskirk Mobile mutt My neighbour's doggy Bonnie is a real chatty character, so I wasn't shocked to find her texting at a family party! Christina Stewart, Fort William…

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a lawyer. Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde swung it for me – smart and sassy. Luckily I loved school, too. But while concentrating hard in my law lesson in November 2012, my body suddenly became unbearably itchy. Then, an angry, red rash appeared all over my body. Within minutes, my throat was tight and my lips and tongue had swollen. ‘I need to see the nurse,’ I managed, raising my hand. By the time I got to the medical room, I was terrified. ‘I can’t breathe,’ I rasped. The nurse immediately called an ambulance, and my mum. Paramedics arrived and checked me over. Darent Valley Hospital, I could breathe normally again. But docs didn’t know what had caused the…

THE CRIME At just 16 years old, Kimberly Daily had her whole future ahead of her... Until one fateful day in August 2010. Police discovered her body hidden beneath her green BMX bike in a vast thicket of bushes and brambles not far from her home. She'd been strangled and found with her bra and T-shirt tied around her neck. But who would want this vulnerable teenager dead? THE STORY Though she was a teenager, Kimberly Daily, or Kimmie, didn’t stress about the things that most youngsters do. She loved riding her bike, playing with dogs, and watching baseball with her dad. The happy teen often cycled up the street where she lived in South Hill, Puyallup, Washington, to play with her neighbour’s two young sons. And 17 August 2010…

As I zoomed along, the colourful fields whizzing past… Amazing! For me, nothing could beat the feeling I had whenever I hopped on my Honda motorbike and explored the beautiful countryside near my house. Ahhh… This is the life, I thought to myself. Though I’d had a licence for three years, my family weren’t as keen on my hobby as me. ‘It’s a bit dangerous,’ my mum Lisa, 50, fretted. ‘I’m fine!’ I’d reply, with a grin. Always careful, I stuck to the speed limits, kept an eye out for distractions. But my luck changed on 27 June last year... I’d had a spare couple of hours before meeting friends. The sun was shining, it was far too nice to be stuck indoors. Might as well take the bike out…

Isn't it true that the best secrets are the trickiest to keep? My man John, 36, and I had been together for 14 years, engaged for four. But life had always got in the way of our nuptials. So in July 2013, we decided to have my 50th birthday party and our wedding on the same day. Even better… 'We'll pretend your party is a surprise, and then we'll surprise them!' John had suggested. I loved it! We booked a hotel for the only available time, two weeks after my birthday, and told our parents. At first, it was fun keeping quiet. But by January 2014 I'd spilt the beans to my daughters as I needed some help with dress shopping! Over the next few months, I watched as my…