Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 461 i Yours Magazine

Who doesn't love the British summer (when it eventually rolls around!)? This year in particular it seemed a very long time coming but it was well worth the wait as always. The above-average rainfall in spring – while a pain at the time – has meant our gardens and parks are even more vibrant than usual. I was very pleased with my hydrangeas, which were the biggest they've been in years. But that's not to say there isn't plenty to look forward to in the autumn – not least the return of The Great British Bake Off. In this issue we find out more about what goes on behind the scenes of the nation's favourite cake contest and why Prue Leith's husband is always complaining about a lack of sweet…

◆ My gorgeous three-year-old Labradoodle, Mortimer, is named after the brilliant comedian Bob Mortimer. He makes us laugh every day and there really is never a dull moment when he is around. Elaine Wheway, by email ◆ Barley is an eight-year-old working cocker spaniel. He is the friendliest, most well-behaved companion anyone could ask for. Chris Fletcher, Beckenham, Kent ◆ “Put em up!” I think Ziggy has been watching too many Westerns. His favourite hobby includes lying on the sofa watching films with me! Louise Milne, West Sussex GET IN TOUCH Send us a picture of your pet with personality, tell us their likes, dislikes and age and if we print it you'll receive a £10 cheque…

As I finished up cleaning the kitchen, my daughter, Lisa, turned to me. “I've got her some tea and a slice of cake ready,” she said. A lady from the council was arriving to assess our kitchen and all hands were on deck! “Good thinking,” I replied, anxiously. My daughters Phoebe, then 29, and Lisa, 32, had always been keen bakers. When they were little, we'd make Rice Krispie cakes together when their friends visited. And now they were adults, their sweet treats were very popular with the family. Lisa had even gone to catering school and had worked in the kitchen of a local restaurant. But during Covid, everything ground to a halt. Lisa has Down's syndrome and, while she was usually busy with clubs and activities, lockdown left…

your space The coastal trend is such a good match for gardens, especially if you're a fan of low-maintenance gardening. Coastal plants must endure storms and salt-laden air, so they're naturally tough and require very little care. Driftwood details A lovely piece of weatherworn and sea-beaten wood, whether it be from a tree that's washed up or the flotsam from an old boat, shouts coastal style. Drill holes and thread onto twine to make a garden decoration. Add a touch of teal A big exterior colour trend, teal teams up perfectly with terracotta and works a treat against white walls or as a backdrop to pale blooms. Easy-care grasses Thriving in harsh, windy conditions with poor soil, ornamental grasses will survive with minimal effort from you. Unlike its towering cousins,…

Difficulty rating: YOU WILL NEED □ Scheepjes Merino Soft (50% wool, 25% microfibre, 25% acrylic) light worsted (DK) weight yarn, approx. 105m per 50g ball □ 2 balls each of: □ Carney shade 636 (A) □ Soutine shade 615 (B) □ Raphael shade 602 (C) □ UK size 8 (4mm) straight needles □ UK size 8 (4mm) double-pointed needles (DPNs) □ Tapestry needle ■ Can't get this yarn? Find a suitable alternative at yarnsub.com ABBREVIATIONS WS = wrong side RS = right side sl1p = slip one purlwise yf = yarn forward yb = yarn back rep = repeat tbl = through back loop st(s) = stitch(es) LH = left hand tog = together beg = beginning rem = remaining Finished measurements Bag: Approx 30.5cm wide, 36cm long including I-cord…

What you're reading…. Our Holiday by Louise Candlish (HQ, £9.99) “There's an unexpected twist at the end,” says Barbara Minton. Charlotte and Perry love their holiday home, and their friends Amy and Linus have bought a property nearby. But amid a rising tide of resentment towards second-home owners, families and friendships will be torn apart as the summer ends in murder… Take a Chance on Me by Emily Houghton (Penguin, £16.99) “A light escapist romance,” says Debbie Wiltshire. Olivia likes to be in control of her travel itinerary. Jacob decides his next destination on the roll of a dice. When they meet, Olivia finds Jacob's laid-back attitude infuriating, but as they part ways, she wishes her plans involved him. Will fate bring them together again? Good Sisters by Sinéad Moriarty…

SAGITTARIUS NOV 23-DEC 20 This could be a pivotal time, maybe pointing to the world of duty and obligation. A surprise reversal may arise. ■ For a weekly update call 09044 705708 CAPRICORN DEC 21-JAN 20 Faraway places and faces that may be familiar could crop up now, with official documentation arriving to end a wait. ■ For a weekly update call 09044 705709 AQUARIUS JAN 21-FEB 18 It's clearing the decks time, preparing for new adventures. Spending time with tried-and-trusted faces does you good. ■ For a weekly update call 09044 705710 PISCES FEB 19-MARCH 20 Something you've been needing fixed or waiting for could at last be happening, with a special late-August date circled. ■ For a weekly update call 09044 705711 ARIES MARCH 21-APRIL 19 Reconnections are…

✪ I would like to thank my daughter for rescuing my 70th birthday celebration when I was taken to hospital suddenly on the day of the party. Having a large family of mostly over-70s, I wanted to celebrate with an afternoon tea party and a family gettogether that was not a sad event. I asked people to bring a cake, no presents. Thanks to my daughter and son-in-law, the party went ahead without me and everyone enjoyed meeting each other. My granddaughter took lots of photos and a video of everyone singing Happy Birthday. It was a birthday I shall never forget. Linda Arnold, by email Yours says: When the best gift of all is family, sometimes all you need is a cake to make it a great birthday party. FLYING FLOWERS…

Many birds will have already left the UK for warmer climates, but you may spot the very last of the swallows, house martins and warblers leaving at the start of next month. In return, species including waxwings and fieldfare will soon arrive in the UK from Russia and parts of Northern Europe. For these birds the UK winter is a milder option. Six dogs found “exhausted and underweight” in July last year have made remarkable, near-full recoveries. The Moffat six, as they were named, were taken in by staff at the Dumfries and Galloway Canine Rescue Centre to undergo rehabilitation and have now been put up for adoption in a bid to find them new homes.…

Light cotton cover-ups will keep you looking and feeling cool on the beach. Channel French Riviera style for a day out at sea by mixing ocean blues with crisp white tones. Not only will this sleek co-ord work during a city break, it can easily be restyled with a jumper at home too. Be at one with nature in a feminine, floral frock – perfect for teaming with casual denim staples.…

COOK'S TIP If you want alcohol-free cupcakes, just leave out the Kahlúa. Tiramisu cupcakes Makes: 12 Takes: 40min (plus cooling) ■ 2tsp instant coffee ■ 200g unsalted butter, at room temperature ■ 200g soft light brown sugar  ■ 4 eggs ■ 200g self-raising flour ■ 1tsp vanilla extract SYRUP ■ 1tsp instant coffee ■ 50g caster sugar ■ 25ml Kahlúa FROSTING ■ 1tsp instant coffee ■ 200g mascarpone ■ 100g icing sugar ■ 100ml double cream ■ 25ml Kahlúa ■ Cocoa powder, for dusting 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan and get 12 cupcake cases ready on a baking tray. Dissolve the instant coffee in 2tsp boiling water and leave to cool. 2 In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, flour, cooled coffee and vanilla extract and combine. Divide the…

Erigeron ‘Sea Breeze Mauve’ Its delicate beauty belies its hardiness. Perfect in a large container. Rosemary ‘Miss Jessopp's Upright’ Tough as old boots, with blue-purple blooms that bees adore. Armeria maritima ‘Splendens’ Undemanding, with clusters of flowers atop upright stems. Verbascum ‘Gainsborough’ Tall arching stems studded with pale lemon flowers from June until late summer Sea holly ‘Blue Hobbit’ Also called eryngium, with small thimble-like flowers in a rich blue-purple.…

NEWS YOU CAN USE WEIGHING UP ANNUITIES If you use your pension savings to buy an annuity, it's a good idea to investigate the cost of inflation-proofing your income. The big advantage of annuities is that they provide a guaranteed income for the rest of your life, and recently rates have become more generous. When buying an annuity, you need to decide between a level annuity that pays exactly the same income year after year, or an increasing one. Over time, inflation can eat a big chunk out of a fixed income, but opting for an increasing annuity means accepting a lower income at the start. Currently, a 65-year-old would pay £100,000 to get up to £7,222 a year from a single life level annuity with a five-year guarantee, according…

It had to be a 99 – a treat you could only get from the ice-cream van Whether it was the wistful strains of Greensleeves or the more chirpy Pop Goes the Weasel, our memories of childhood summers are accompanied by the discordant chimes of the ice-cream van. In their heyday in the Sixties there were more than 30,000 of them on the road in the UK, forcing parents everywhere to utter the little white lie: “No darling, when they play the music it means they've run out of ice-cream!” Did you know? There are many rumours over the origin of the 99 name but the most credible is that in 1922 Stephen Arcari named his creamy creation after the address of his shop: 99 Portobello High Street. His family…

Prince William of Gloucester was killed when a plane he was flying crashed and burst into flames. The 30-year-old prince, who was ninth in line to the throne, had entered an air race at Half Penny Green Airfield in the West Midlands. In front of his mother, the Duchess of Gloucester, and 30,000 appalled spectators, his Piper Cherokee light aircraft banked abruptly shortly after take-off, lost altitude, hit a tree, flipped over and crashed into an earthen bank, bursting into flames. He and his co-pilot, Vyrell Mitchell, were trapped in the wreckage. First on the scene were three boys who frantically tried to mount a rescue but were beaten back by the flames. “We tried to break into the plane's doors and then tried to break it in half by…

Pat and Graham Hewett always promised themselves that when they retired they'd get a dog. Both had demanding jobs and felt they couldn't take on the responsibility of one before then. What they hadn't anticipated was Graham, a vet, having a devastating stroke, aged 49. Leaving him with severe speech and mobility problems and epilepsy, which was followed by a second stroke. Both their lives changed drastically. “I struggled to begin with,” admits Pat, then 50, a French and geography teacher. Four years later she was reluctantly forced to stop work to become Graham's full-time carer, a role she accepted but found difficult as she missed teaching and her students. Developing breast cancer herself, she admits, “Each day was bleak.” Life changed after she contacted Canine Partners, a charity that…

We all know Dame Prue Leith isn't one to sugar coat her words. And, despite being a judge on TV's most popular baking show, she actually prefers savoury cooking. Recently, she even went as far as to joke that her husband complains their home is a cake-free zone, “He says he should have married Mary Berry!” But she admits she loves a treat as much as the next person and revealed, “If I look at a cake, I get fat!” Prue's solution during filming of the Channel 4 show is simple, though controversial. “I don't eat breakfast, I don't eat lunch, I just eat cake and that's the worst diet in the world,” she said on a podcast. And if there's enough calories left for a “lovely glass of wine”…

Acting royalty Peter Davison might have found fame way back in the Seventies as Tristan Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small, but it was Doctor Who that really cemented him as a household name. Peter, 73, took on the role as the Doctor in 1981 and enjoyed the time-travelling antics for four years before it was taken over by Colin Baker. But his incredibly successful career nearly didn't happen at all! Sitting down with Yours to chat about his current play, the actor admits he was convinced he wouldn't land the part of Tristan that propelled him into living rooms across the country. “I made a complete mess of the audition,” he says, “spilling a cup of coffee all over myself. But, for some reason, the producer found that charming.”…

your beauty Exfoliate With rising temperatures comes excess sun exposure and tanning. Exfoliation is the key to boosting the look of your skin, stimulating cell turnover and ridding the outer layers of dead skin and product build-up. A full-body exfoliator will massage away debris and impurities – choose a physical scrub, or chemical solution, that's gentle enough to use daily. Vitamin C As we age, our skin can start to look saggy, while toned areas once corrected with exercise take a little extra work. Supplement your exercise routine with a cream that is packed full of the wonder antioxidant Vitamin C. This will kick your cellulite, dimples and uneven skin texture into touch, improving elasticity while giving your skin back its youthful bounce. Moisturise Prep your parched summer-skin with a…

Strawberry & raspberry mousse trifles Serves: 6 Takes: 30min (plus chilling and cooling) Cost per serving £1.07 ■ 200g raspberries ■ ½ x 135g pkt raspberry jelly (See Cook's Tip) ■ 250g strawberries, plus 6 extra ■ 25g icing sugar ■ 2tsp gelatine powder ■ 1 egg white ■ 190ml double cream 1 Place six dessert glasses on a tray. Divide raspberries between glasses. Break jelly cubes into a heatproof measuring jug. Stir in 150ml of just-boiled water. Stir until dissolved. Add cold water to make up to 285ml. Divide between glasses. Chill for 2hr or until set. 2 Meanwhile, using a stick blender or food processor, blitz the strawberries and icing sugar until smooth. Using a fork, whisk the gelatine with 2tbsp just-boiled water until the gelatine dissolves. Stir into the strawberry mixture. Allow to…

your space Tip: To save money, try seeking out free sample tiles These pretty drink coasters look like something you'd find in a gift shop, but they are deceptively easy to make. First, wash a stone tile and leave it to dry, then print out a pattern you like on normal printing paper. Cut out a square of the paper the same size as your tile, then use a decorating paintbrush to apply a generous amount of Liquitex gel onto the tile. Next, lay the paper pattern-side-down on the tile and hold it in place, while gently rubbing it all over with your finger. Be careful not to move the paper. Leave it to dry for 24 hours, then use a wet cloth to saturate the paper. Gently rub the…

In 1979 it may have appeared something of a gamble on the parts of just-divorced couple John Cleese and Connie Booth to introduce a pivotal new character, Terry the Chef, to the second series of their hit show Fawlty Towers and cast not a seasoned comedy actor but a pug-nosed pugilist almost exclusively known on screen for tough guys and jailbirds. That the actor in question was Brian Hall meant there was no risk whatsoever. This was a fully rounded character, delivered complete throughout just six half-hours of situation comedy. His stoic dependability and matter-of-fact control of a manic plot turn allowed Cleese, as co-creator and actor, to push the envelope of outrageous over-reaction. Cleese's temples could throb, his moustache twitch, and the eyes get ever more bulbous. All was…

“Come on, Prince, home time.” Caroline smiled as the black Labrador barked in response. She loved her new job working at the doggy day-care centre. And she'd offered to drop Prince off after her boss said Edmund, his owner, had broken his leg. Caroline didn't mind, it was on her way home anyway. Feeling the cool winter breeze ruffle her hair, and seeing the sunshine playing peek-a-boo through the thick blanket of cloud, she sighed happily. Much better than her old job working for an insurance company. A drop in salary yes, but the benefits far outweighed the negatives. Prince sprinted towards a house with a blue door with energetic exuberance, Caroline close behind. She inhaled deeply, savouring the sweet scent of the winter honeysuckle draped across a trellis close…

Valerie, 74, from Essex, is looking for pen friends from anywhere. She enjoys crafts, pets, books and TV quizzes. All replies answered. AUG2-101 Retired John, 77, a driver from Stood, is a non-smoker. He loves to cook, likes coffee mornings, holidays, cooking and playing short mat bowls. He is looking for a lady for friendship/ companionship from Kent/East Sussex. AUG2-102 Eliza, 70, would like to find new friends in the Portsmouth/ Havant/Gosport area, male/ female, also penpals from anywhere. She likes swimming, day trips, holidays, the theatre and shopping. AUG2-103 Driver Thelma, is fit and healthy and looking for a reliable and trustworthy male for companionship/friendship. She would like to share the many good things in life. Prefers a non-smoker. Leicestershire LE5 area. AUG2-104 Active Keith, 70, slim, 5ft 6in,…

WORTH £280 IN TOTAL Win an eye care bundle from TheraTears This eye care bundle consists of the whole TheraTears eye drop range, including its newest edition, Irritation and Redness, and a pair of designer Ray Ban sunglasses! TheraTears® is a unique range of eye drops specially formulated to help reduce the symptoms of dry, uncomfortable or red eyes with five pioneering products. TheraTears’® range of eye drops, which contain naturally soothing ingredients including witch hazel and ginkgo biloba, can provide lasting comfort by refreshing and restoring sore eyes. New TheraTears® Irritation and Redness is a unique 5-in-1 eye drop containing natural Euphrasia to effectively and gently reduce redness caused by allergens and pollutants which are particularly high during the summer months. They are ideal to use alongside allergy and…

star chat After being diagnosed with grade three breast cancer in May 2023, Strictly Come Dancing pro Amy Dowden bravely decided to document her journey to recovery. Driven by a desire to return to the dancefloor (which she did triumphantly in December 2023 for the Strictly final) in Fight of My Life the 33-year-old performer invites viewers to witness her challenging and emotional fight to beat cancer in a bid to raise awareness. Why did you want to make this documentary? I never thought I would be diagnosed with breast cancer at 32. I only came across it because I was checking myself. If I wasn't, I might not be here right now because I had Grade 3, the most aggressive type of cancer. If I can raise awareness and…

Dear readers, I used to dread September. For decades the sneaky thief of a month loomed threateningly in the calendar lying in wait to scupper my summers and curtail my liberty. September meant being fitted – at Clarks or Startrite – for new school shoes. What torture! After a blissful interlude of padding about in flip flops, toes spreading in all directions, sun beating down on our unfettered feet, we were made to put on horrible constricting socks and squash our toes into ugly leather lace-ups that pinched for weeks until we ‘wore them in’. My grandchildren love to hear about the September trip to WHSmith's for school supplies. Bamboozled with choice between My Little Pony files, Barbie pencil cases and luminous sharpies of rainbow hues, they can't believe it…