Innholdsfortegnelse for September Special - 2016 i Pick Me Up! Special

There's just never enough time in the day. Take it from Zachariah and Caleb here, who are busy being part-time superheroes and full-time cuties! That said, our bumper September issue is packed with stories, fashion, tips and puzzles you definitely won't want to miss. If you fancy a tasty treat, read about the extraordinary prison restaurant we visited (p34) in our fantastic 10-page Shocking Crime mini mag. And there are chilling crime stories - like the tragic tale of murdered 17-year-old Andre, (p38) whose mum, Tracey, is still campaigning to catch his killer, nearly 10 years after he was stabbed. Meanwhile, on p52 romantics will enjoy the amazing story of how Michaela fell for a bloke twice her age, making him a dad at the age of 68! But on…

‘He kicked me hard in the back and the stomach’ Arranging my beautiful lilies, reading the card, I smiled. ‘You mean the world to me, lots of love, Keith.' Keith Hughes was the best boyfriend ever. Our second crack at dating, we’d been out in 2001. But I’d only wanted to be mates. Bumping into each other again, now, though in 2012, we’d clicked, falling deeply in love. ‘I worship you, Stacey’ Keith said. ‘I just want to be with you all the time.’ After three months, he suggested I move in with him in Penlan, Swansea. Aged 32 and planning to be with him forever, I did. So when he asked where I’d been and who with, I just thought he was taking an interest. ‘You’re so nosey’ I…

Meet the expert: Terry Markham is the senior buyer for WatchShop.com  – www.watchshop.com – the UK’s leading online watch retailer SLEEK AND SIMPLE Alice, 30, Chester Terry says: It’s a simple, yet elegant watch. The colour of the strap says this person likes having the option to team their watch with lipstick and nail colour. They tend to play it safe when it comes to conversations and dressing, but also aren’t afraid to step up to the plate when things are tough – and aren’t afraid to accessorise either. Alice says: I definitely did go for a simple watch choice, Terry’s right. And, yep, it was a ‘safe choice’. I love its design, it’s great for everyday and suits my active, no-nonsense lifestyle! DESIGNER SWAG Beatrice, 23, Manchester Terry…

‘Our little family was a real success story’ It was the start of a new century and everything felt possible. So, when my sweetheart, Anton, proposed as we walked through the park together in January 2000, fireworks crackled through my heart. My first boyfriend, Anton was a soldier in the army medical corps. We’d met at a Christmas party a year earlier, but he’d always been too shy to say he loved me. Now, when he asked, ‘Will you marry me?’ my reply was, ‘Does that mean you love me?’ ‘Yes!’ he responded, amazed that I’d ever had doubts. And on our wedding day on July 15, 2000, I was already carrying our first child. Humble but happy We celebrated our marriage by moving from Tajikistan, where I was born,…

One Monday morning in July last year, my hubby, Sonny, 26, was taking me to work in his van. On the M20, we suddenly heard a clicking noise, and smoke started rising from the engine. Sonny quickly pulled over and, while I ran back down the hard shoulder, he lifted up the bonnet and peered inside. In horror, I spotted flames beneath the engine, out of Sonny's line of vision. 'Get away!' I screamed. But Sonny didn't move. Out of nowhere came a uniformed soldier. 'Come away – now!' he called to my builder hubby, and they ran towards me. Then. BANG! The engine exploded and the van was engulfed in flames. Someone must have called the emergency services, as two fire engines arrived to tackle the blaze…

Our expert, Emma Kenny is a TV psychologist and the founder of new wellbeing website www.makeyourswitch.co.uk BABY BLUES ‘I'm so sick of seeing my friends' social media updates about their nights out. I'm never invited now I have a baby. What can I do to feel less lonely and resentful?' Emma says: First of all, tell your friends you miss them. Being a mum doesn’t mean you can’t have fun – ask them to come round for pizza and wine. Or maybe one of your friends could agree to swap for a night and babysit? Top tip: Try websites like mummysocial.com  to chat with other mums like you. OUT OF LOVE ‘I split up with my boyfriend recently and he already has a new partner. I'm…

“The only give-away that we're in prison is the plastic knives” Tucking into delicately cooked asparagus followed by pan-fried, poached and confit chicken, with melt-in-the-mouth fondant potato, I could easily be fine dining in London. In fact, I am in prison, surrounded by criminals - at The Clink restaurant, within the walls of HMP High Down. The Category B men’s prison, built on the site of a former lunatic asylum in Banstead, Surrey, houses prisoners serving anything from a few weeks to life for murder. I’m lunching with Chris Moore, chief executive of The Clink charity, which aims to reduce re-offending rates through training projects, giving prisoners skills to aid their rehabilitation and help them find a job on release. ‘Prisoners who are training and serving here must have six…

Bump, bump, bump! Grub was up and my kids came pounding down the stairs. A single mum, spending Saturdays at home with Andre, 17, and Becky, 13, was a real treat. Now, watching them wolf down their food, before we snuggled up for a dollop of family TV, I felt a warm glow of love. Andre was off to a party later at Streatham ice rink in south-west London. ‘Does my hair look alright?’ he asked, checking himself out in the mirror, before leaving. ‘See you later, Trace’ he called and the door slammed shut. Tired after working all week as a mortgage advisor, I bedded in for the evening. Then, a few hours later, Andre’s girlfriend rang, screaming hysterically. ‘Slow down Lucy*’ I said, hearing sirens in the background.…

‘Chemo made Sebastian sick, but he was so brave, ‘We invited local artists to paint the bumps, As the artist added a few finishing touches to her masterpiece, I grinned. ‘You look great!’ I told the pregnant woman sitting in front of her. ‘It tickles,’ she laughed, holding her belly. See, she was having her baby bump painted to look like Minnie Mouse. Behind her was a queue of mums-to-be, waiting to have their bumps painted, too. Disney characters rainbows, babies - they could have any design that took their fancy. And they were doing it to raise money for a great cause... Just weeks before, in March last year, my baby, Sebastian, 7 months, had been full of energy. Then, out of nowhere, he’d developed a cough, and I…

THEY SAY Suitable for children and adults, this quick and simple treatment works by drying out warts and verrucas affecting hands, feet and elbows. It should see them clear up after between 5 and 15 weeks. YOU SAY ‘I loved that I only had to apply this once a week, and then I could forget about it.’ Sally-Anne, Colwyn Bay WE SAY The applicator pen makes applying this treatment, which contains formic acid, super-speedy and mess-free. It’s very handy, and can be used up to 30 times.…

‘Keith had the stamina of a man half his age, They say: ‘Don’t go looking for love - it’ll find you.’ Well, when I went on a cruise in February 2010, I sure wasn’t looking. I was treating my dad, John, for his 69th birthday. A few friends and I were taking him on a weekend booze cruise from Portsmouth to Spain. ‘It’ll be a laugh,’ I’d told him. My mum had passed away years ago, but Dad and I were still close. On the first day of the cruise, me and my pal, Heather, went for a quick cig in the smokers’ lounge. Chatting away, I didn’t notice a figure approach me. ‘Do you have a light?’ asked a man with grey hair and a wrinkled face. Handing my…

My furry family I thought I had a bunch of animals living in my house as it gets in such a mess – this photo of my partner, Paul, and daughter, Emily, proves it! Michelle Underwood, Surrey Say what?! We say… Isn’t it sad summer’s almost over? We mean… Phew! Now we can stay in and watch box sets without feeling guilty! He's a basket case! Buster is enjoying himself on holiday at Bournemouth Beach! He loves riding everywhere in his special basket – it sure beats walking! Colleen Brunton, Enfield Miniature heroes This is superhero Zachariah, 4, and his sidekick superhero Caleb, 1, ready to take on the world! Stephanie Ng, East Lothian Going ape! On a recent trip…

We'd spent £20,000 and were no closer to a baby Tick… tock… tick… tock… Waiting for the magic blue lines to appear on my pregnancy test was torture. Negative! Me and my fella, Steve, 38, wanted a family so badly, I’d lost count of how many tests I’d taken. Aged 18 and 22 when we’d met in 2000, we hadn’t been ready to start a family. We’d got jobs, tied the knot, and enjoyed being just the two of us. My mum, Karen, 61, was desperate to be a gran, though. ‘There’s plenty of time,’ I said, when I came off the Pill at 26, in 2008. But my period kept coming. A year on, we bought a kit to check when I was most fertile. We had sex twice…

‘My size-18 shorts were so tight, I thought they'd rip’ Soaring into the clouds, I was heading off on a holiday of a lifetime. Away with five of my bezzies, I was so excited. A week of sun, sea, cocktails and non-stop fun! Arriving in Tel Aviv, Israel, the flat we were staying in looked fab. ‘Let’s go clubbing tonight’, one friend suggested. Mates since we were 11, getting together like this was such a treat. Until, it came to getting ready.... ‘I have nothing to wear,’ I’d say, bored of the same cami top and skirt I’d worn every day. Truth was, I was indecisive, because I was self-conscious. The girls would all borrow clothes, but there was no way any of their skimpy dresses would fit over my…

1 www.ukofficedirect.co.uk In the stationery world, UK Office Direct stocks more products than you can shake a stick at. Keep an eye out for special offers too! 2 www.euroffice.co.uk As well as its low-price guarantee, new customers at Euroffice can get thrifty with an extra 15% off first-time orders. 3 www.viking-direct.co.uk With thousands of products up for grabs, Viking promises to accommodate your every stationery need – from pens and paper to office machines and ink cartridges. If online shopping makes for hungry work, you can even chuck a few snacks in the basket to keep you going. 4 www.theworks.co.uk If you’re a bargain hunter, you may have already stumbled across The Works. As well as books, toys and gifts, its fun stationery collection is worth a browse – with…

“He killed my hubby, just because of his hurt pride” Infatuated by accounts secretary Anna Kaznikova, 24, for a while, they’d dated. But Anna, who’d also been seeing someone else, called it off. Gutted, Dmitry blamed her colleagues for urging her not to take it further with him. He’d planned to take her on a romantic trip to Edinburgh but, at the last minute, she refused to go. ‘She’s telling everyone in the office she won’t sleep with you ’ someone mocked him. No-one had known that loner Dmitry was a gun fanatic. But, at 4.56am on 7 November, he posted on the web, saying: ‘I hate human society and I am disgusted to be a part of it! I hate the senselessness of human life! I hate this very…

“I'd wanted Yvonne to meet someone special” Whoever this fella was, he’d swept my daughter off her feet. Tall, blond and handsome, by all accounts, this ex-Marine, who she’d met in a Californian nightclub, sounded like the American dream. ‘That was Yvonne,’ I said to my hubby, James, then 67, after ringing off. ‘Her new guy sounds like a catch.’ It was 2009 and I was delighted to hear Yvonne, then 39, so happy. One of my three stepdaughters, I got on famously with her and her sisters Michele, then 42, and Michelle, then 29. I’d wanted Yvonne to meet someone special after splitting with her husband, John, in 2008. Me and James had first noticed her and John having problems at our send-off party that June. We were moving…

Down the road from High Down is the women’s prison HMP Send, where many of the 282 inmates are serving life or lengthy sentences. Also a horticultural haven, inmates grow vegetables and salad items, which are sent to The Clink restaurants in High Down and Brixton, to feed the clientele. Up to 20 women train in the garden on a daily basis. Fifteen of them are studying for a City & Guilds NVQ (level 2) in horticulture. They have access to garden tools, including secateurs and floristry knives, which are kept secure to provide a quick inventory and identification of missing items. Trusted prisoners, nearing the end of their sentence, are chosen for the garden project, although there’s one lifer on the current scheme, who’s learning to drive the on-site…

‘It felt like we were a million miles away, ‘The views out over the valley were amazing, For someone who enjoys the great outdoors, good food and staying in nice hotels, a weekend away in the Yorkshire countryside with my husband was just what we both needed - time to wind down and relax! Set back from the main road down a long, private driveway and surrounded by really beautiful gardens the dog-friendly Holdsworth House Hotel in Calderdale, where we were holing up for a couple of nights, quickly made us feel like we were a million miles from anywhere - and certainly not three miles from Halifax town centre! Before going exploring further afield, we mooched around our snug double room, which was all cosy up in the eaves…

Strain from screens Q My eyes get really strained and watery. I work at a computer every day – is this the cause? Claire, Stevenage A Long hours at a computer can cause ‘computer eye strain’, which can make eyes sore or watery. It’s very rare you’ll experience lasting damage to your sight, but get your eyes checked if concerned. Take regular screen breaks. Easier said than done, but it’ll benefit you in the long run. A pain in the tech? Q My neck keeps getting stiff. My husband jokes it’s because I’m addicted to my smartphone, is he right? Gemma, Leeds A Research into ‘tech neck’ suggests spending hours looking down at a smartphone could lead to pain in the neck, back, head and arms. You’re also at risk…

‘I hope we can keep her here as long as possible, Asleep in her little cot, my tiny baby daughter, Olivia, looked so vulnerable. Since her birth a few weeks earlier in May 2015, I hadn’t stopped worrying. Some days she had trouble focusing her eyes on things, and her legs would tremor violently. Our other children Evie, 3, and Harry, 4, didn't have any problems like this. ‘Let’s ask the doctor at the seven-week check-up,’ my hubby, Gary, 30, suggested, reassuringly. Sadly, I wasn’t overreacting. ‘Something isn’t right,’ a GP told us a few weeks later. ‘I want Olivia to see a specialist at Lincoln County Hospital to see what’s going on.’ My heart was pounding. I’d had a straightforward pregnancy and she was born weighing a healthy 6lb…

I’m facing a situation that I never thought I’d have to deal with. I’m considering kicking out my husband. We’ve been together for a long time, but for the past five years he’s been struggling quite badly with depression. It has been really awful for him. He lost his job because he has been so unwell and found going to work really stressful, and as a result what few friends he did have he no longer keeps in touch with. He’s also barely leaving the house recently. I’ve been supportive, taking him to appointments, making sure he gets the help he needs. Over the last year, he’s hit the bottle too and now I’m reaching my limit. We’ve got two children and while, before they were able to have a…

1 Light Garlic & Herb Soft Cheese £1.20 for 250g, Sainsbury's Don't let the name put you off – the garlic in this tub is subtle enough to be workplace friendly! It's delicious on toasted bagels. 2 M Nume 50% Black Pepper Cheese, 88p for 200g, Morrisons The peppery addition cuts through the creaminess of this cheese and is great for those who like a sharper taste. 3 Light Original Soft Cheese, 88p, Asda This silky cheese is perfect for dipping cucumber and carrot sticks into. Raspberry Lemon Drizzle Cake Serves 8-10 Prep Time 20 mins Cook time 35-45 mins For the icing: 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/ Gas mark 4. Grease and line…

‘Ashamed of my bod, I'd decline invites out partying’ Passing my driving test, age 18, I became an instant slob, doing zero daily exercise. Before, I’d walked pretty much everywhere. Now, with my own set of wheels, I’d drive to collect chip-shop dinners or hit McDonald’s with mates. By the time I turned 22, my average size-14 figure had ballooned to a size 20. Ashamed of my bod, I’d decline invites out partying, staying home with my mum, Anne, 58, instead. I had a bad back for years, and the pain grew so bad, I was admitted to hospital. ‘Try losing some weight,’ my GP suggested. That night, stepping on the scales, the dial whizzed to 17st 7lb. Mortifying. Vowing to change, in July 2011, I bought a calorie-counting book,…

VIRGO 24 Aug-23 Sept The Solar Eclipse on the first day of September is a green light to revitalise your entire situation . With Neptune opposing this lunation, you need to be sure that the next six months are spent progressing things that are truly worthy of your time. Your powers of analysis, often your strongest suit, can be eroded by this influence and see you affected by information you receive from others or the relationships you have. September can be a month when good things come your way. Your appreciation of food, wine and calorific goodies is also enhanced. Between the 9th and the 13th you may find yourself magnetically drawn to someone romantically. Just be sure of what their motives are before you get too involved. The Lunar…

It bakes sense... Homewares website www.domu.co.uk is offering free delivery on all orders until the end of September. Handy if you fancy a new kitchen gadget! Cool savings Grab a cone and tuck into this treat of a deal. Tubs of Kelly’s of Cornwall ice cream are just £2 in Tesco from 23 August–12 September. They’re usually £3.99! It's a dead good offer! Get your skin in tip top condition with the Malki Dead Sea range. Get three products for the price of two in Boots from 31 August – 27 September. Say cheese! If you’re a big fan of fromage, head to Asda where Cathedral City Cheddar will be £2.50 (down from £3.50) until 10 September. Smooth talking Get a health boost with these Love Smoothies sachets at Sainsbury’s.…

He was nervy, agitated. Our sex life ground to a halt Strolling down the road, suddenly, a car pulled up, with a dark, handsome stranger at the wheel. Confident Jay Pratt, then 17, leant out of the window to say hello to my sister, Jade, then 11, and her mate, Jay’s niece. ‘Fancy a ride?’ he asked us. It was June 2003 and, then 16, I was smitten with him as we chatted away. A week on, Jay took me out for an evening drive. ‘I fancy you,’ Jay confessed, kissing me as my heart soared. We became an item, couldn’t get enough of each other. On the Pill, I didn’t worry until that August... ‘I’m late,’ I confided in my mum, Tina, then 42. She bought me a test...…

1 Sleep on it Simple but true: get an early night. Eight hours is the recommended quota of sleep. 2 Light relief Adjust your blinds to allow light to filter into the room to help you to wake up naturally. 3 Move the snooze Move your alarm clock out of reach so you have no choice but to get up to turn it off. 4 Best dressed Shave a few minutes off your morning routine by laying your clothes out for the next morning. 5 Fuel the day Opt for a protein-fuelled delicious breakfast to get you going and ready to face the day. 6 Make it up Making your bed as soon as you rise will set you up for the day ahead. 7 Take to task Schedule your…

Watching my daughter glide across the finish line, I welled up. ‘Well done, Lily’ I cried, proudly. Lily swam like a fish. It was only on dry land that she really struggled. ‘I’m afraid she has cerebral palsy’ doctors had told us when she was just 6 months old. Her legs and hips hadn’t developed properly so, unable to walk, she was in a wheelchair. Still, me and my hubby Angus, 50, were determined it wouldn’t hold her back. Used to pulling herself about with her arms, they were strong. And, by her teens, Lily, now 20, loved swimming and cut through water like a mermaid. Then, one day, she watched the film Dolphin 2. It starred a disabled dolphin called Winter, with a prosthetic tail. ‘I want to see…

“The children gasped as flashes lit up the sky” The morning of 1 July, 2015 started just like any other. I fed my moggy, Alan, kissed my fella, Ray Lee, 35, goodbye, then dropped our three girls - Katie, 8, Anna, 6, and Aimee, 3 - off at my mum Margaret’s before heading to work as a teacher. In the afternoon, looking out of the window, I saw the sky darken. A storm's brewing. Sure enough, when I was about to leave work 3pm, I heard it. The roar of thunder and crack of lightning. I decided to stay in and watch it with the children I was teaching. ‘Brilliant!’ they said, squashing their faces against the window. ‘Wow! Look!’ the children gasped as flashes lit up the inky…

“Docs thought I'd never move or walk again” Waking up at the bottom of a cliff, I heard the helicopter above and blacked out... The day had started as normal. I’d got up at 4am that day and gone to work as a US Navy recruit. I’d a birthday card to send to my boyfriend back home, so walked off base later that day to mail it. Another military man offered to gave me a ride. He had an empty bottle of Jack Daniels on the floor of the car and laughed about how he’d drunk the whole bottle. But he was driving fine, so I didn’t think anything of it. I was 19 - what did I know? We later drove to a local beauty spot, Sunset Cliffs, where…

“The lanky lad with specs seemed harmless enough As the sun sparkled across the rippling waves, the balmy climate worked its magic on young Courtney Wilkes. With her sandy blonde hair and cute freckles, she radiated the fresh-faced beauty that only teenage girls enjoy. And, on the family holiday, with her sister, brother and parents, at Florida’s Seagrove Beach, surrounded by oak trees, magnolias and hickory trees, the 15-year-old was blossoming. It was an idyllic break, with days spent soaking up the sunshine along the stunning mile-and-a-half long stretch of white sand, encircling a picturesque cove. Inevitably, Courtney caught a young man’s eye. On 16 June 2011, when Steven Cozzie, who’d been hanging around the BeachCrest condominium where the Wilkes’ were staying, invited her to join him for a walk.…

New Forest, Hampshire See the leaves change colour in absolute style at the New Forest. Go and explore for the day, or make the most of the camping sites on offer throughout the area. You’ll be able to go horse riding and cycling by day and eat marshmallows over the campfire by night! • Visit www.thenewforest.co.uk Delamere Forest, Cheshire If you like climbing trees, go to Delamere Forest – it’s the largest area of woodland in the country! If clambering over branches isn’t your idea of fun, try cycling, orienteering or check out the Go Ape centre where you can swing high on tightropes, climbing nets and zip wires! • Visit www.forestry.gov.uk/delamere The Trossachs National Park, Scotland Trossachs National Park is right next to the bonnie banks of Loch Lomand,…

Pins and needles We've all experienced that tingly pins and needles sensation after sitting awkwardly for too long – that's completely normal. However, frequent and unusual bouts of pins and needles could warrant a trip to your GP. Causes could include nerve impingement or ‘trapped nerve', and conditions like Carpal tunnel syndrome, which mainly affects hands and fingers. Physiotherapy and addressing posture problems might help. Anxiety can also trigger pins and needles, and it can sometimes be a symptom of long-term conditions like MS (though it wouldn't be the sole symptom in this case).…

Cut the clutter A tidy home equals a tidy mind. Having a clear out to get rid of messy junk can do wonders for your concentration levels, say scientists, because your stuff competes for your attention. Just don’t put off important tasks! Give up gadgets With all the text and Facebook messages we get, it’s easy to see why we can’t stay focused for long. The best way to avoid the temptation to check those notifications is to switch your devices off and pop them somewhere out of sight. Then treat yourself to a proper catch-up later. Plan your day Got a lot to get through and not sure if you’ve got the attention span for it all? It’s time to get organised! Write a list of everything you need…

Lancashire Hot Pot Serves 4-6 Prep Time 25 mins Cook time 90 mins 1 Preheat the oven to 170¡C/Gas mark 3. Stir together the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt and pepper and coat the meat. 2 Heat the oil in a heavy-based, deep casserole dish (with a lid) and brown the meat in batches if necessary. Return all the meat to the pan and add the onions, carrots and thyme. Generously season with salt and pepper and mix well. 3 Arrange the sliced potatoes neatly on top of the meat and vegetable mix. Pour over just enough stock to come up to the bottom of the potato layer. 4 Cover with the lid and bake in the oven…

‘I hated leaving the house because of my size’ My son, Aftab, 8, had his little face pressed up against the living-room window. I asked him what he was looking at and he said nothing. But, peering outside, I could see for myself – he was watching kids playing with their mums. He couldn't ask me to do the same though, as I hated leaving the house. because of my size. During my pregnancy with my youngest, Anaya, 4, I'd piled on 6st, and I hadn't lost it because of my constant snacking. Now I was 17st 7lb, a size 22. I'd got used to hiding indoors. But seeing Aftab staring out of the window made it really hit home. 'I can't go on like this,' I said to my…