I T’S SO WIN!

BE UEEN
T OF A
CASTLE!

MOARLE
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S na
No.49 9/12/21

F I V E F UN ! + PRIZES!
cla
STUCK IN
MY CHIMNEY

k t h e
NER
h a l l s ?
He a r

MIDWIFE
t b r e a
HE
k i n g

G E D i n SAW
She R A M P A
X M A S D AY
t o D E C K m e!
56 BABIES!
C r i n s p o ...
ONE BIG
SHOCK FOR ST NICK
 eaplle 14

Memo to self… Things to sort out

he big 25 December eat-a-thon.
th
1)) Source turkey – rare as hen’s tee
for

th
peo The tiniest tot’s
big fight for life
his year? 2) Work out a new wa
th y to
nt
h e the Brussels sprouts (if you wa
hid
o know why they’re so hat ed, we ’ve 28 Santa claws… 22 Yule be amazed
to
by
g the answer on p22). 3) Get hub
got Stuck in my Fascinating
nt
t practise his carving (not much poi
to chimney festive facts 3 Cash Cow
slaving in the kitchen if he’s onl y
31 Win! 24 Cookery 5 Just For Fun
int an episode of Dexter once the
going to turn it all into Be queen Leftlovers!
you what I won’t be 9 The Whopper!
knife’s in his hand!) But let me tell of a castle 27 Fir-ever tree
bursting into the house
planning for – a marauding blonde 38 Crimbo inspo…
10 Real People
me up! That’s Bauble head
just as we finish feasting and beating Roulette
rrie after she served up I’m rocking my 30 Your stars
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a wonderful festive family spread With Jenny
hell, who’d been on 44 56 babies! 26 WIN! A Targus tote
come early when the neighbour from Blume
arrived, swinging backpack & laptop
a viral food rampage once before, One big shock 32 Bubble &
cussion to start the
punches. Carrie ended up with con for St Nick squeal sleeve bundle
dinner on p32 saw a
New Year. But another celebration

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 D SMOOTH TALKERS
Accordi
to a new
survey,
some Brit
u smile! accents
to make yo get the
anteed
Guar juices
flowing. MMOST ATTRACT V
Others M Scottish

Tinse don’t… M Geordie

INDIA
Welsh
M Northern Irish
M Queen’s Engl s
HE’S
Had Rama LEAST
Mahato not been ATTRACTIVE
COMING! drunk when a baby snake
nipped him he might have
M Essex
My hubby, James, M Leeds
ssssurvived to live another
perfectly captured M Brummie
day. Instead he opted for
the anticipation of revenge by biting back. But M Cockney
our tots last Crimbo. he was bitten 10 times M Scouser
Emilia, four, and in the face, ending Source:
Happn dating ap
Sean, two, just hissss life.
couldn’t hide it!

OI YOU, HOP IT!

Marta Richardson,
G eat Le
Gr Leig
ig
ghs

couple
ght trying We’re so
t l secrets.
Jonathan and Diana Toebbe hid
excited!
digital cards with secret info in
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drop-off points. The foreign
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actually FBI agents. Oops!

endy Powick’s

W attempts to tee off

at the Arundel Hills
Country
n she was mobbed
by

MY MUM
slight sn ag w he
Club hit a
oo s that jum ped on to the course.
a load of kanggar The crraazzyy gang of

AND ONLY!
gawperss gives
a whoole new
PIC TURES: BIGSTO CK, GET SORVIS

COLOMBIA meaaning to
o fing jumper’.
‘ggol
TY,

y mum
mum, Lesley Dunn
Dunn, is Disgraced
TWITTER, YOUTUBE/JORDAN

mad about Crimbo. politician Aída

S ea r f
She buys her pressies Merlano Rebolledo,
40, escaped jail after her K an ga
early and can often be seen in
this Chesney Hawkes jumper glamour model daughter, 21, cco ur se a
well into January! Wouldn’t
distracted guards. She was P ow ick tr ie s o
change her for the world.
recaptured, now her girl’s on yo ut ub e. co m
on trial facing 38 years
Nicola Rolfe, Upminsterr in the clink.

4
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 NMARK P LE
An
A n artist paid
IL
£61,000 by a museum
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Just For
OI, BEAKY
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Starting from 1, solve the clues, writing your answers in a

Y
ou’ve heard of a bird’s eyee
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here’s the bird, a turquoise-
e
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on a traffic camera in Brazil.
Highway management released 1 2 3
the cheerful clip of peek-a-boo. C U T S
9 10

14 15

8 11 4

16

13 12

7 6 5

LIFE IS
CARD 1
2
3
Snips
Fizzy water
Mamma Mia band
10
11
12
Viscount’s superior
Nodule
Opt for, choose

M
y poor Santa needed
a bit of rest while he 4 Slightly open 13 Door handle
checked out some 5 Hasten 14 Light source
pressie ideas. He’s clearly 6 Heavenly instrument 15 Wild pig

TO feeling a tad flat!

Rose Janes,
Monmouth
7
8
Bath stopper
Overabundance
16 Fruit peel

RUMBLE!
think my pups Tilly and UK
9 Sea’s movement

I Mitzi are almost as excited

as my girls Ella and Amyy
to see what Santa Paws
cocker
uld prove
rk now he’s
wner Jayne
See how many words of four or more letters you can make
from the seven letters in the wordwheel. All your words
must contain the central letter, and no proper nouns or
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and 23 is excellent!
has brought! H m Aberdare
H el
Fiona Geraghty, Heme d her pooch
He
H p tead
pst

S
er dentures.
While the rest of us
W
are legless this
Christmas, she’ll
be toothless.
R U
E
WE WANT N D
YOUR A
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W F L O T O PA
feed at twitter.com/RealPeopleMag FOLLO
 Carriie her family a
ber.
Xmas Day to remem
er
But the bloodbath aft
h e r fi ght in g t o r e c all This viral
left violence
shocked
their names! everyone

O
h my days. What
a spectacle…
The woman was
wearing a low-cut
green jumpsuit and
cursing like a sailor at the top of
her ample lungs.
As I watched, she wobbled on
her feet in the kebab shop.
‘Please don’t swear,’ one of the
staff was pleading.
‘F**k your mother,’ the woman
raged.
Charming!
Slurring, swaying, daring them
to call the cops on her, she was
wild, pickled and out of control.
‘Where’s the food?!’ she roared.
‘The food you just threw there,’
a man said, peeling a kebab off the
floor.
Only for her to side-swipe it
straight back on to the tiles and
start screaming, ‘You raped me!’
At that very moment, one of her
boobs flopped out.
She turned into a hellcat,
tearing at the staff’s clothes,
spitting at them. All while she
could hardly stand and ended up
s
spreadeagled on the floor.
Oops-a-daisy – back up again.
*EMILY IS A FALSE NAME
I tutted.
It was
summer
2020 and the
woman in one in the kebab shop.’
green was Instantly, I knew who
on a viral he meant… and I was
video I’d just horrified.
watched. Anne Marie Fowler.
The video I wanted Living here!
of her Jasmine ‘We don’t want her
running (left) and here,’ I said to Stan later
amok at the Dais to that day when he came
Kebabish enjoy Xmas home after a shift at the
restaurant in wheel of his HGV.
Falkirk was and our daughter Daisy, 13. We were a close community.
doing the rounds and it was all Our eldest Jasmine, 19, a student We’d do barbecues, the kids
anyone was talking about. midwife, had recently moved out to were free to run around the street.
The newspapers said the a place of her own nearby. We didn’t want some drunken
woman, Anne Marie Fowler, had The move had been hard on her numpty bringing her drama this
drunkenly caused £4,000 worth of baby sister. way!
damage and hurled racist abuse So I wanted to make Christmas Two weeks later I was off to
and those bizarre false rape extra special for both my girls. work when I spotted a blonde
allegations at the innocent kebab Since losing my mum Linda, 61, woman sitting on the doorstep of
shop staff. to COPD in February 2018, I’d the flats down the road, smoking
Less Green Goddess more Green struggled to put a happy front on a cigarette.
Hot Mess… at Christmas time. I took a better look.
Yet she’d been spared jail, This year had to be different. That messy hair,
handed just a £400 fine. A fresh start. hard face…
A slap on the wrist! I’d go all-out. Yup, that was
‘Disgusting,’ I sighed, soon I could do a tasty starter this her.
moving on to the next social media year, I mused, walking along with Anne
uproar. my head in the clouds. Marie.

Then she grabbed her jumpsuit It was nearly Christmas and my As I neared my front door, my I just
a pulled it down, exposing both
and to-do list was rivalling Santa’s. neighbour Kev, stopped me. carried on
her
h breasts to the world! Then A few days on, I was ticking ‘Guess who’s moved in over walking.
C
CRUNCH! With a yank, she pulled tasks off in my head, as I got home there,’ he said, gesturing towards a I had
t glass off the salad display and
the from work at the cleaning block of flats further down on the a happy
s
shattered it! company I ran. I walked towards opposite side of our terrace. Christmas
I shook my head in disbelief. the ground-floor flat I shared with ‘Who?’ I asked. to focus on.
‘And apparently she’s a mum!’ my hubby HGV driver Stan, 51, ‘That woman in the video, the Later I

2EAL 6
PEOPLE

Pandora jewellery and
gift cards and then I
turned to watch Stan
tear off the wrapping
paper on his pressies.
He beamed when he
saw a new pair of
trainers.
His smile grew
wider when he opened
his tablet and the
hoodies, jeans and PJs
I’d bought him.
Now it was my turn.
Stan placed a present
in front of me.
Carefully I undid the
wrapping… and a
chuckle burst out of me.
Before me stood the
perfect gift for any
cleaner.
A robot vacuum!
My new ‘It’s to clean up our
neighbour house while you’re out
had already cleaning other people’s,’
made a boob grinned Stan.
of herself I thought of the never-
ending shedding of hairs
by our spaniels, Lucy,
nine, and four-year-old
Emma, on the floors.
A problem of the past!
Mid-morning I made
went into town and my way into the kitchen –
splurged on a new tree, tinsel six people needed their Crimbo
and baubles. dinner.
That first weekend of My stepdad, Peter, 66, Jasmine
December, I draped the new
deccies on the branches of our
gleaming 7ft tree. I caught a glimpse of
LAID OUT COLD!
Me and Stan flopped into bed.
I drifted off happily to images of
my delicious meal.
Suddenly… a noise… a child…
a scream…
Daisy!
It’s Daisy. She’s shrieking.
Groggily, I sat up.
A yell pierced the darkness.
Where’s it coming from?
I turned my head, trying to
fathom the direction of the sound.
Inside the house? Another
scream.
Outside, it’s outside our ground-
floor window.
Alarm was flooding through me
as I shoved the duvet back and
swung my legs out of bed.
Where’s Stan?
No sign of him.
In my bare feet, stumbling,
I hurried to the front door.
No more screams from Daisy.
Where is she? Where is she?
My feet crunched over the cold
concrete outside on the driveway.
Shouts… figures moving…
someone on the other side of the
fence…
Loads of people… kids…
What’s going on?
An arm appeared before me.
It belonged to a woman on the
other side of the fence.
Her mouth was open…
Roaring, she was roaring like
a lion.
This vile, uncontrollablee
temper er h d trashed the
had
kebab shop… now it had
turned on to me…
Shish!
Her arm flailed above me again.
I looked straight at it.
The blow landed on the bridge of
my nose.
Blackness.
I blinked… a crowd around me.
I felt hot liquid streak down my
jaw and my neck.
‘Stay upright,’ said an urgent voice.
Bleary-eyed, I peered at the figure.
I felt some sort of recognition but
couldn’t quite place it.
‘Keep upright,’ she commanded
again.
‘Don’t let the blood go down the
back of your throat.’
Other figures were standing g
beside her.
She turned to them.
‘We need a category one
ambulance,’ she said.
Dimly, I realised who she wass
talking to.
Police.
That woman in the video. Thatt
awful woman. What has she donee
to me? Now I saw rivulets of blood d
down my PJs.
I began to shake…weird,
jerky movements convulsing
through me.
Then the world went dark again..
My eyes opened once more to see
paramedics bending over me.
They manoeuvred me towards an
ambulance.

her black, wild eyes

‘There,’ I said, showing the rest Was it still Christmas Day?
of the family when they got in. Is it time to cook?
‘Lovely.’ The young woman who’d been
Determined to get myself and her boyfriend, Steven, 22, I caught a glimpse of her face. looking after me stood by the
organised well in advance, I ordered bustled through the door and sat Black, wild eyes. ambulance door.
all the meat from the butcher and down expectantly at the table. Oh my God, it’s her! ‘Who’s that?’ said the paramedic,
pored over a recipe book. Nervously, I put the soup bowls The kebab shop woman. pointing to her.
Mum had been a much better in front of them and watched them In a split second her arm Is he testing me? I did know her,
cook than me – she’d always taken all take a sip. clamped on the back of my head. I know I did.
the lead in the kitchen at ‘That’s good,’ said Stan, quickly She shoved me… Ah, yes, my daughter. That’s who
Christmas. taking another slurp. THUMP! it is. But what’s she called?
Now it was up to me. I relaxed. Mum would be proud! She bashed my forehead on the Couldn’t think.
Three weeks before the big day, Polished-off, empty plates for wooden fence post! Then he turned to me.
I swirled a spoon in a saucepan and the next round of food signalled Waves of pain shot through me. ‘What’s your name?’
then popped it in my mouth to get my meal had hit the right spot. Her arm pulled me back and I looked at him bemused.
my tastebuds’ reaction. After a full-on main of ham, then she rammed my head into the ‘Nicola Sturgeon,’ I said…
Yum! chicken and beef, triumphant and metal railings beside the fence
I earmarked red pepper soup full, I put my feet up and watched post.
as a starter for the big meal. the telly. Frantically, I tried to stagger Bloodsoaked
On Christmas Eve, By the time it got to 8.30pm, my free, my head pulsing with pain. after my ordeal
I congratulated eyes began to close. She let go but then her other
myself on Our guests had left, bellies stuffed. arm grabbed hold of my hair.
Me and
getting all the ‘I’m worn out,’ I said and went She yanked hard…
Stan preparations off to the bedroom to snuggle into Raised her arm…
didn’t like done. my PJs. Roared… rolled her fist into a
the new ‘All organised ‘Me too,’ said Stan. ball…
neighbour and ready,’ I But Daisy piped up. And punched me on the side of
announced to Stan. ‘Can I go and see Emily* and take my head.
Next morning, her present round?’ she asked. I gasped.
I was up at 7am Her best friend lived a few doors ‘Get her off me,’ I croaked.
as usual. away. Punch… roar… yet another dig…
I watched as ‘Be back by 10 o’clock,’ I yawned. More and more heavy blows

Turn the
Daisy opened up her ‘Yes,’ she said, putting her coat on. rained down on my head.

to read
 Didn’t give a FIGGY
s

oon I was in the resus
unit at Victoria Hospital,
Hospital
Kirkcaldy.
‘CT scan, possible
fractured skull, possible
swelling on the brain…’ the
docs said.
That bad? Had she half-killed me?
The scan, however, showed no
fracture or swelling.
But she’d broken my nose and
knocked me clean out for an hour.
On Christmas Day!
I was suffering concussion.
‘I just want to go home,’ I said,
after six hours.
‘OK,’ said the consultant, ‘but
only on the condition that you’re
watched carefully for 72 hours.’
I arrived home still in my blood-
soaked PJs.
‘What happened?’ I asked Stan.
My head was still aching and
throbbing with pain, but I wanted
to know.
Stan explained
that Anne Marie The attack has
Fowler had run
into our house,
chasing a terrified
caused memory loss
Daisy and her friend.
Bizarrely, she’d claimed the two
girls had been laughing at her in
the street.
The girls had hidden while Stan
PICTURES: BIGSTOCK, GETTY, SWNS
Christmas night.
One boy had been
so terrified by the
sight he’d run home
and hidden under
a bed.
Poor little mite.
Traumatised.
Daisy had called
Jasmine over. That’s why
she’d been there to tell me of tests at
to stay upright.
‘What if she comes back
after me?’ I said to Stan
tearfully.
But thankfully, Anne Marie was
kept in custody.
I stood up to walk into the living
room, but my legs wouldn’t go in
the direction I wanted them to.
Stan caught me and steered me
to a chair.
I looked in the mirror – at two
horrific black eyes.
A clump of hair was gone –
when Stan pulled me away from
Anne Marie she’d clung on to my
locks and wrenched it out.
I couldn’t walk in a straight line
for several days, had no coordination
They ran
a battery
hospital
I didn’t go back to work until late
February, once the bruising on my
face had gone down so I wouldn’t
terrify my clients.
But my injuries made it difficult
for me to concentrate.
One morning I turned off the
vacuum and heard a strange sound.
Bewildered, I went upstairs into
the bathroom.
Water was
seeping
everywhere. I’d
forgotten I’d left
the taps running!
The client’s
bathroom was flooded.
Next day, ‘What’s that burning
smell?’ asked Stan.
I rushed into the kitchen.
I’d forgotten I was cooking!
Black eyes weren’t
on my Christmas list
appeared by video-link at Kirkcaldy
Sheriff Court, Fife, last May.
She admitted assaulting me by
seizing me by the hair, dragging me
on the ground, repeatedly punching
me on the head and striking my
head against a fence post.
She was supposed to be serving
a 7pm to 7am curfew when she
attacked me at 10pm.
A reporter rang to tell me
Fowler had been sentenced to 22
months in jail and banned from
approaching me for three years.
If she’d been jailed for the kebab
shop rampage, she wouldn’t have
been living in our street.
A pain in my right temple still
nags at me.
But I’m not going to let that vile
creature ruin this Christmas.
She won’t beat me.
I’m determined to have the feast
and celebration my family deserves
– and I hope she’s on bread and

rrushed into the kitchen to phone
tthe police – that’s why he wasn’t
bbeside me in bed.
When this Anne Marie went
ooutside again, I’d followed.
As she repeatedly punched me
in the head, Stan rushed out to
ppull her off me.
Anne Marie had been carted off
in a police van.
Her horrific violence had been
sseen by lots of children out in our
sstreet, Lochleven Terrace, on
because of the concussion I was Worst of all, Anne Marie was water.
suffering, and pounding pain in my pleading not guilty. Carrie Rapson, 42, Fife
head afflicted me for months. Daisy, only 13, had to pick
‘I didn’t think concussion could her out in an ID parade.
last this long,’ I said to Stan. She had to go on her own
But the doctor had warned I due to Covid restrictions.
could be affected for up to a year. She’d never been in a
I couldn’t drive and couldn’t police station. My poor girl,
wear my glasses because she’d having to go through such a
broken the bridge of my nose. horrible experience because
Desperately, I tried to remember of that woman.
all the events of that night, but the But Anne Marie Fowler, 33,
attack has caused memory loss. changed her plea when she
Daisy
had her
festive
As told to Moira Holden and Lucy Bryant
fun ruined
(stories@realpeoplemag.co.uk)
P U Z L E
L OPP
Solve the crossword and, when complete, the yellow
boxes will answer the question below. Enter on page 43.

£150!
ACROSS 22 Formidable (7) 44 Accumulate (9) 65 Eminent (5) 5 Anxiously (9)
1 Ashamed (7) 23 Wet thoroughly (8) 46 Of Troy (6) 66 Scowl (7) 6 19A’s most recent
5 Not anyone (6) 24 Bird’s beak (4) 49 Seventh Greek 68 Cord (6) ex-husband, with
8 Opera by Bizet (6) 27 Hawaiian garland (3) letter (3) 69 Jonny Lee ___, 19A’s whom she shares six
13 1995 film in which 29 Lost animals (6) 52 Small whirlpool (4) 13A co-star and children (4,4)
19A’s character used 30 Globe-shaped (9) 53 School one-week ex-husband (6) 7 Honorary title awarded to 19A for
the alias Acid Burn (7) 33 Precipitous (5) holiday (4-4) 70 Deluge (7) her humanitarian work (4)
14 Domain (5) 34 Earth’s pull (7) 55 Nourish (7) 9 Lets up (6)
15 Novice (7) 36 Search for food (6) 58 Not scared (8) DOWN 10 Anglesey strait and bridge (5)
16 Biblical garden (4) 38 Dictator (6) 60 Tijuana’s 1 Attainable (10) 11 Usually (8)
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19 Pictured celeb’s first 41 Pictured celeb’s last 61 Partially (4) 3 Listen to (4) 17 Watch (3)
name (8) name (5) 64 Captivate (7) 4 Vanish (9) 20 Ruffle (6)
21 Envelop (4)
25 Inventive (11)
PRIZE QUESTION: By what name were 19A and 6D known during their relationship? (10) 26 Robbery at sea (6)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 28 Girl, ___, film for which 19A won
an Oscar (11)
12
31 Therefore (4)
13 14 15 32 Fluid-filled sacs (5)
35 Handy (2,3)
37 Return (2,4)
39 High-pitched cry (4)
16 17 18 19
42 Possessors (6)
20 21 43 Disney villain protrayed by 19A in
two live-action films (10)
22 23 24 25 45 Elevator (4)
47 Rest (9)
26
48 19A’s famous father (3,6)
27 28 29 30 31
50 Special Envoy to the UN High
Commissioner for ___, position held
32 by 19A (8)
51 Statue support (8)
33 34 54 Keenly (6)
56 French for ‘one’ (3)
35
57 Rehearsal (3,3)
36 37 38 59 Garden flower like a
daisy (5)
39 62 Strongly against (4)
63 Seaside jetty (4)
40 41 42
67 ‘Yes’ vote (3)
43

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 PU ZLE
IL 8 In which month is the French
celebration of Bastille Day?

9 On which continent does the

12 Of which country is
Copenhagen the capital?

13 On a French menu, what does

16 What is the first name of
Mrs Brown in Mrs Brown’s
Boys?

cuckoo spend the winter? ‘agneau’ mean? 17 Who makes the Wii console?

18 Find and cross out five

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 stelle was in labour,
legs a kim bo , w he n
the m id w ife s potte d
something. A
shadow, fallin ing fast?
I couldn’t wait
to be a mum
P
ain rolled through my
stomach like a jagged
boulder. I oofed and
grunted. Alarmed,
my hubby, Mike, 24,
squeezed my hand.
‘I wish I could help,’ he said.
My reply was a bellow of agony. I
blimmin’ wished he could too! This
was women’s business but, of course,
PICTURES: BIGSTOCK, FOCUS FEATURES, GETTY
he’d landed me here.
It was 24 May 2020 and I was on the
labour ward in Wigan Hospital, legs
wide open and a midwife with her
hand in me – seemingly halfway up to
my throat!
‘You’re doing really well,’ she said,
finishing up the examination. ‘But
you’re still not quite 10cm dilated.
I’ll be back soon.’
Not even ready to push!
‘Oh my God!’ I screamed.
It was my first baby and no one
had told me it’d be quite this painful.
Whatever they tell you, you just
can’t imagine it. My hubby
certainly couldn’t!
Me and Mike
on our big day
Mike leaving
hospital with
baby Brooke
‘It’ll all be
worth it when
she arrives,’
he tried
again.
I gritted
my teeth. Hee
was doing
his best.
And it would d be worth it. I didn’t
doubt that for a moment.
See, I’d thought I’d never be
a mum.
Four years earlier, bloated and
constantly tired, I’d taken myself
off to the GP who diagnosed me with
pelvic inflammatory disease.
The doctor prescribed antibiotics.
Hours later at the pharmacy, I’d
idly picked up a leaflet on ovarian
cancer. Went cold all over.
Those symptoms. That’s what
I have.
I suddenly knew it like I knew my
own name.
But I was just 22 – too young for
it according to the medics… until
I persuaded them to test me. I was
right and they were wrong.
It was stage one cancer of the
ovaries. In March 2017, I was
admitted to Christie’s in Manchester
for surgery to remove the tumour,
along with my right ovary and
fallopian tube.
That got rid of the malignancy but
I was warned that conceiving could
be tricky now.
‘I wasn’t even fussed about being a
mum,’ I glumly told mine, Beverley,
53. ‘Now it’s all I can think about!’
And, eight months after the op, I
met Mike Wignall in a club in Wigan.
‘I can’t have kids,’ I told him,
bluntly.
b ‘How’s bottle feeding going?’
FAT
Hee took it
on thhe chin
and it made
me loove him
even more.
he
Th
miracle landed three monthss after
we flew out to Texas for a dream
wedding in June 2019.
I don’t know who was most
shocked to find me up the duff – me,
Mike or my GP!
Shocked and overjoyed.
My six monthly cancer check-ups
went on hold but that was a small
price to pay for becoming a mum.
And now, here I was panting and
labouring and feeling so blessed
despite the boa constrictors of
agony, wrapping themselves
around my bump!
Our baby girl was nearly here…
Forever was laid out in front of us.
Almost there…
After a full 12 hours of agony, out
she came, 6lb 6.5oz Brooke.
A lover of country music, I named
her in homage to my idol Garth
Brooks, the American singer.
With a mop of jet black hair
she was the most perfect thing I’d
ever seen.
‘She’s beautiful – just like her
mum,’ choked Mike, 25.
It was the happiest day of my life.
Mike tore himself away eventually
and I was transferred to a ward but
I couldn’t sleep. I just lay staring at
Brooke. A few hours passed and
the midwife came to see how we
were doing.
TO DONATE, VISIT GOFUND.ME/EEF05E09
she asked.
‘Great,’ I smiled.
Her brows knitted. ‘Look,’ she
sighed. ‘I didn’t want to worry you,
but while you were in labour…’
‘Yes?’ I asked.
‘I felt some lumps on your cervix
during your examinations.’
My heart dropped into my feet.
Not this. Not again.
‘I’ll book you in for a biopsy,’ she
said. ‘But you’ll have to wait three
months until you’re healed from
childbirth.’
I stared at Brooke and it was clammy
fear that coiled itself around me now.
It can’t be cancer again. I’m a mum.
Brooke needs me.
Could it strike again at the very
happiest moment of my life?
I shook my head. That couldn’t
happen. I couldn’t leave her.
‘I’m sure you’ll be fine,’ Mike said
when I called him. ‘It’s probably a
precaution – she has to send you.’
Yes. That’ll be it.
Can’t focus on it.
Think of Brooke.
Before I knew it, three months had
passed in a whirlwind of nappies,
night-feeds and little sleep.
My biopsy was at Leigh Infirmary in
Greater Manchester.
‘It’s nothing to worry about,’ the
consultant said, seeing me off.
Oh, thank God.
The lumps weren’t cancerous.
‘I told you!’ cheered Mike back
home. ‘Now we need to celebrate.’
‘Perhaps another night,’ I yawned.
‘I’m tired and still trying to lose
this baby weight.’

T
I d put on 2 t while pregnant
and decided to do a 12-week diet
and fitness programme.
But it didn’t seem to be working.
My stomach was still bloated like
I was preggers.
…And I was exhausted too.
I’d put it down to broken nights
with Brooke. But, suddenly, my
stomach churned with dread at
the realisation…
They were the symptoms I’d had
when I was 22 – when I was first
diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
So I didn’t have cervical cancer…
but something was still wrong.
I pushed for an appointment and
in October I had blood tests and a
CT scan at Thomas Linacre Centre
in Wigan.
And then I was sitting down
opposite a consultant.
Seeing that look on his face.
‘I’m afraid your ovarian cancer has
returned and is stage four,’ he said.
‘I’m so sorry but it has spread to
your lungs and liver.’
I looked at Mike, his face white as
the walls.
Brooke was only y five months old.
We made the
most of our
first Crimbo
together
As told to Tracy Johnson & Ann Cusack
Brooke has given
me the strength
to keep fig htin g
My heart broke.
I was told I’d start intensive
chemo at Christie’s at the
beginning of January.
‘But you may only have two to
three years to live,’ the consultant
said softly.
As his words hit me like a speeding
train, I was inconsolable.
I wasn’t sobbing for me, but for my
baby. Me and Mike lived the next
weeks in shock, functioning like
robots. All our family and friends
were devastated.
This may be my
last Christmas
The only light in this bitter
darkness came from Brooke.
Each time I held her I never
wanted to put her down.
I nuzzled my nose into her hair
and breathed in the scent of her,
trying to cling on to every second.
She was my saviour. But I was
riddled with guilt.
There was Mike, my love, my best
friend. He hadn’t signed up for this.
We had plans to grow old together.
And Brooke? I wouldn’t be there
to do her hair before school, or wipe
away her tears when she had her
heart trampled for the first time.
My own heart dissolved at the
thought.
t
Christmas came, and I was a mess.
Each time I looked at Brooke I
burst
b into tears.
My health had gone downhill.
I couldn’t stop being violently sick.
But I still managed to put the tree
up and decorate.
‘Brooke still deserves a normal
Christmas even if she’s too young to
understand,’ I told Mike. ‘I want her
to know that I loved her so much, and
(stories@realpeoplemag.co.uk)
I’m trying
to stay
positive
through
treatment
always gave her
what she needed. This
may be my last one.’
We had Christmas
dinner at my mum’s
like normal, but it was
only us and my nan, Gwendoline, 70,
my brother, Kieran, 24, and my sister-
in-law, Katie, 24, as I couldn’t risk
catching Covid.
In the new year, just days before
my chemo was due to start, I asked
my best friend, hairdresser Marissa,
24, to shave off my long, red locks.
‘If you’re sure,’ she smiled, setting
up in my kitchen.
As each strand fell to the floor,
Mum stood there devastated, but
I smiled.
It gave me some control back, and
thankfully Brooke wasn’t at all fazed
by Mummy’s new look.
I donated my hair to Little
Princess Trust, a charity who
provide wigs, free of charge, to
children and young people going
through cancer treatment.
And Mike and my brothers shaved
their hair too. Together we raised
£4,500 for Ovacome, the UK’s ovarian
cancer charity.
At Christie’s I had six rounds of
chemo then a hysterectomy at
I’m putting on a brav
face – for Brooke’s sa
GRAVE
I donated my
locks to Little
Princess Trust
Wythenshawe Hospital, and in
October I had surgery to remove half
my lung and the tumour.
I’m currently waiting for further
surgery after docs found two new
growths on my pelvis.
My future isn’t looking good.
But I refuse to give up.
I owe it to Brooke to fight on.
Fight as hard as any mum ever did.
I set up a GoFundMe page as
I want to travel to America for
pioneering proton beam therapy or
medical trials so I can be around for
my baby girl.
And now, as we count down
towards Christmas I intend to make
it as normal as possible for Brooke.
I’m tired, thin and in pain.
It’ll be a quiet one. But I don’t
mind. Just being with Brooke is
enough for me.
She’s 18 months now, loves to sing
and dance – just like me – and lights
up every room she toddles into.
I’ve made her an album of my
favourite songs so she has that for the
day I can’t sing to her in person.
I often sit and wonder what kind
of life my daughter will have. Will
she go to uni? Marry? Have kids?
I don’t know if I’ll be here to see it.
But I do know I’ll always be
grateful to my little girl.
The midwife spotted an issue as
I gave birth, starting a chain that
spotted my cancer. It’s the reason I’m
here now. Baby Brooke gave me this
fighting chance. Now I’ll fight to stay
right here with her where I belong.
Estelle Wignall, 27, Wigan
e
ke
2EAL 133
PEOPLE

RESA D
ANTA’S
The odds we ere
stacked agaiinst
Debbie’s babby
Devyn. Cue,
a sprinkling
of festive
magic…
S he was here, but for
how long?
Lying, exhausted in my
hospital bed, I wanted to cry.
It was 5.59am on 7 September
2019 and I had just given birth to my
baby girl, Devyn – 17 weeks early.
She’d been born still inside the
amniotic sac, tiny hands clutching
on to the placenta.
I’d a haematoma during the
pregnancy pushing down on the
sac that had made me go into
labour early.
‘She probably won’t make it out
of the delivery room,’ a midwife
gently warned me.
I was left speechless – horrified
that my little girl, weighing only
500g, was fighting for the life I’d
given her. If only I could have kept
her inside me for longer!
Quickly, Devyn was rushed to
an incubator.
AS TOLD TO KARIS NASH PICTURES: SWNS, FIONA LOCKE
Me with
Devyn
14
4 My little pumpkin
keeps fighting
3 of the bes
UP TO
£2000
short & swe
stories
Send your story
and photos to:
stories@realpeople
mag.co.uk
She survived the journey. But
the battle was only beginning.
‘If she doesn’t reach 24
weeks we won’t try to save her,’
the neonatologist had warned
me before she was born.
Devyn was just one day
off that.
The image of cradling my girl
as she lost her fight haunted me.
She’s not going to pull through. My tiny tot
Me and Devyn’s dad, Jamie, weighed
25, a stonemason, stayed at her with Devyn just 500g
bedside. by my side!
One of us was always there. The The most
only time I left was to pick up my joyful Noël ever. My three little tots were all
other two little ones, Kole, five and She was now 4lb 7oz. dressed in tartan. But five weeks
Poppy, three, from school. It was a lockdown Christmas for later, Devyn was rushed to the ICU
On us – Devyn’s again suffering from pneumonia
I COULDN’T
Halloween, immune system and the flu, despite all our shielding.
when was too low for Hooked up to a ventilator,
Devyn
was seven LOSE HER visitors. A happy
bubble.
beeping ringing out...
Come on Supergirl. Don’t stop
weeks old, I Mum, who’s fighting now.
arrived at the hospital to a surprise. two doors down, handed over at I couldn’t lose her.
She was in her incubator covered the front door a Christmas dinner She must’ve known. After six
with a pink superhero cape. she’d cooked for us. weeks she was home again!
The neonatal nurse had made Now Devyn, two, suffers chronic
capes for all the babies on the lung disease. She’s in and out of
ward – all different superheroes. hospital and Christmas this year
‘This is so special, thank you will be much like last year, quiet.
so much,’ I gushed over the kind To keep her safe.
gesture. I haven’t planned anything, for
A quick snap was taken of Devyn, fear of having to cancel. But her
and it ended up in the local paper. big brother and sister understand.
And Devyn kept They are on the very top of Santa’s
fighting, just like good list.
a real hero. And the man with the white
Mid December, beard knows a battler when he sees
105 days after one. So there will be something
being born, I special in his sack for our little
was driving I’m so proud super baby too.
home for of Devyn Debbie Woods, 32,
Christmas — Lanarkshire

...gone tomorrow. But Lynda is glad her
Bambis chose to seek sanctuary with her
F oraging around the tiny
woodland on my land in East
Sussex, I turned to the visitor
beside me.
‘I know they are around here
somewhere...’
It was November 2016, and I
was searching for badgers. The
man with me at Freedom Farm Animal
Sanctuary had a fascination for the
black and white beauties.
As I approached some
undergrowth, it began to rustle.
A tiny fawn came shooting out.
It went straight past us on its long,
skinny legs.
The mother must be close.
But, when I saw the fawn again
next day, and the day after that, it
Bambi stops
by every
summer
KNITTY
GRITTY
B ored during lockdown last
March, I began aimlessly
scrolling through Pinterest.
Up popped a photo of a huge
Christmas tree, on display in a market
somewhere in Europe.
I peered more closely.
Not real yet not artificial either.
No. Better than that...
Knitted and crocheted!
Hundreds of tiny green woolly
squares all forged together. Fabulous!
I’d long been a fan of knitting.
I’d made jumpers, toys, scarves,
blankets.
Could I branch out to a Crimbo tree
with my trusty number eight needles?
I showed the ambitious craft to my
hubby, Chris, 67.
I knitted
baubles too!
!
was always alone.
I started to worry.
Much to my disgust,
there is a lot of hunting
around my 30 acres
of land in Brightling.
Never on it though –
I make sure of that!
But had the fawn’s
mummy been shot or
run over?
Was this little fawn an orphan
that knew my sanctuary would be
a safe place?
I noticed it was a female, so named
her Angel.
I noticed she began to help herself
to my horses’ hay. But if the weather
was cold, I filled a bowl with barley and
chopped hay.
She fitted in perfectly with the five
horses, six sheep, eight pigs, two
cows, six ducks, 16 turkeys and three
goats!
She hung out with the horses, lying
down next to them or hiding under
their tails to avoid flies.
Angel knew she could leave
whenever, yet she never did. She grew
No need to
worry about
dropped needles
round Helen’s
this yule...
‘How tall would you do it?’ he
spluttered.
‘About 6ft 6in,’ I decided.
‘You’ll need a frame, so it can
stand up,’ he said, practical and
encouraging as ever.
After a conflab with our son, Simon,
43, we figured we’d need three metal
rings, wood, and wire to construct
the tree.
It was becoming a family affair!
As the sun blazed down in summer
I snuggled up with my wool.
Watching my fave soaps on the telly,
I took out my needles in the evenings.
All the squares were 5in, had
designs in the middle and green trim
to give the illusion of a pine tree.
Snowmen, stars, Santas, NHS
rainbows, all flowed from my needles.
‘Can I do one?’ asked a neighbour.
‘Can I crochet some?’ asked another.
The more the merrier!
All the while my Chris put together
the frame in the dining room.
Angel with Bambi,
and below, hiding
under a horse’s tail
into a beautiful doe.
Even when young male
deer would hop back
over my fence after spending a
day rummaging around my land – she
would stay.
Two years ago, I noticed
Angel was looking round.
Following her gaze,
I noticed a tiny fawn.
Angel had given birth!
For the next three
months, Bambi, named
by me, grew up on my
land too.
Then one day, they I hope Bambi
were gone. visits this Xmas preparesp
She had to take her
baby out into the wild.
I pleaded with the local gamekeeper I forgive him that. And I like to think
to leave them alone.
‘You will know which one Angel is,
she has a piece missing out of her left
Hubby Chris built
a frame for my
tree-mendous knit
I even found a home for the tree –
outside St Peter’s church in our village
of Holton.
I carried on, piling up the squares,
as our cocker spaniel, Rosie, 12,
pushed her nose into my yarn,
inspecting my work.
But what about the weather?!
I didn’t want a soggy spruce!
Some research on the internet
solved the problem.
I invested in some waterproof tent
spray, spritzed all the squares.
In November I sewed them together
and stretched them over Chris’s mesh
framework.
Early December, around 10am,
ear,’ I told him.
I think I managed
to make him feel
guilty enough, because
every summer, without
fail, Angel and Bambi
come back for a
few hours.
To say thank you?
I like to think so.
Bambi’s fully grown
now. I suspect she may
even be pregnant. It
would be great if they
came visiting at
Christmas time.
As a vegan, it’s not your usual feast.
Every 25 December, I bring in some
of my turkeys, place them on my
farmhouse table which is covered in
holly, feed them lettuce and take a
quick snap.
This is how we have
turkey on Christmas,
I caption the image
before posting it on
to Facebook.
I then cook up a
delicious nut roast.
My husband, Richard,
8
82, still eats meat and
himself a
C
Christmas dinner ready
meal. But after 34 years of marriage,
our animals turn a blind eye too.
Spirit of the season and all that…
Lynda Free, 76, East Sussex
Y
Chris and I dismantled the tree and
set off for the church.
We walked down, Chris carrying
the framework pieces and me with
the tree rolled up under my arm.
Carefully we constructed the
frame again in the church grounds.
Chris attached an outdoor
lighting system to the frame.
And by 4pm, ‘There,’ I said,
patting the material into place.
Stepping back, surveying my
tree
t lit up by the church entrance I felt
the
t warmth of pride.
It was tree-mendous!
I snapped some pictures and,
after a basking in the glow, headed
back home to post them on social
media.
I received thousands of likes,
comments and even letters through
the door, all congratulating me.
During the first week of January, me
and Chris took the tree down and
packed it away. To my relief, it wasn’t
damaged, despite it raining constantly
through the festive season.
Thank goodness for the tent spray!
My woolly tree will be lighting up
Holton again this year.
What a yarn to tell!
Helen Knevett, 65,
Holton, Suffolk
15
5
• Junior PUZZLE EXTRA • Junior PUZZLE EXTRA • Jun

Kiddi MILK
SHAKE
stuff! Christmas has come early, girls! Catch up with
We ve shaken up all seven letters of
a word connected with Christmas trees.
Can you work out what it is? Each letter
can only be used once. Solution on the
next page.

Corrie, paint your toe nails or just enjoy a quiet S

L
cuppa, courtesy of our kids’ puzzles. To live the
dream, simply find a pencil, hand over your E
favourite mag to the apple of your eye and relax.
Unless you fancy having a crack yourself… B
B
CAROL TIME!
Look for all these words from The Twelve Days Of Christmas in the grid,
U
A

below. All are hidden in the usual way, except one – which one? Solution
on the next page.
G G T P A P F V G N I M M I W S S F hich
U
N
N
V
U
I
G
C
C
E
A
P
L
B
L
E
I
O
N
N
G
N
B
F
I
E
R
N
D
M
S
P
C
A
P
T Harry Potter
A
M
K
O
M
E
K
P
I
L
E
L
R
S
H
C
I
F
C
N
L
D
E
H
A
M
N
O
A
U
A
O
G
O
L
A
?
Use the pics to sound out a Harry Potter
M N E C D I N E V V R T I V D V F D character. Solution on the next page.
F R S M N A M N N D W H E S K A G I
S K N A D E S E V O D E L T R U T E
E W E K R T D L K G P B B E N M E S
S I H W V E R E E G U E E I L V N T
A R H N N N U P E A R T R E E A W H
N M C O E M M L R G P D M K M E W T
PICTURES: BIGSTOCK, GETTY

O W N V E V M F H R D I L A L C P E
W F E U H H E C T I M U N V R L P K
B L R L G C R S A R I C E G F G I C
E C F C G S S G N I R D L O G W I U
CALLING BIRDS GEESE MILKING THREE
DANCING GOLD RINGS PEAR TREE TURTLE DOVES
DRUMMERS LADIES PIPERS TWELVE
ELEVEN LEAPING SEVEN
FRENCH HENS LORDS SWIMMING

•
6
Junior PUZZLE EXTRA • Junior PUZZLE EXTRA • Junior PUZ
nior PUZZLE EXTRA • Junior PUZZLE EXTRA • Junior PUZZLE EXTRA •

W? Doris isn’t happy. But what’s her beef?

O
Well, she can’t work out how to get to

P
the other field for the Crimbo cow pow wow

COW
now! Can you help her moo-ve through the
maze until she reaches Flo and the rest of

START the gang for this year’s holiday hooves up?

You can check the solution below.

KIDS PUZZLES P17 – How Cow Pow Wow?

Turn the page upside down to see the solution. FINISH
SOLUTIONS
P16 – Carol Time!
Not hidden: Lords.
P16 – Milk Shake
Solution: Baubles.
P16 – Which Harry Potter
character?
Solution: Head + Wig
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 Snow place
like home

W I N T E R
Esca p e to th e cou n tr y
and m a k e the m ost of
icy landscapes

N
othing blows away Stroll through the
s
the post-Christmas idyllic Yorkshire Dale
cobwebs like a
bracing walk. So book
a chilly break for the
New Year and follow Jack
Frost’s footsteps to some
glorious British scenes...

HILLS AND VALLEYS

Life affirming countryside
walks and hospitality is what
the Yorkshire Dales is all about.
The Black Bull in Sedbergh has
some spectacular walks from
the doorstep including the
Howgill Fells along The Calf
to Cautley Spout, England’s
highest waterfall. After you
descend to the valley floor, enjoy
a well-earned pint at The Cross
Keys Temperance Inn before the
return leg to Sedbergh alongside
the River Rawthey. If that
sounds too strenuous, you can
always enjoy one of the many
walks in the valley following one
of four rivers, or potter about in
the numerous bookshops. Back
at The Black Bull don’t miss an
evening meal cooked by head
chef Nina Matsunaga, one
of only five female chefs to
feature in the UK’s top 50
gastro pubs for 2020.
Winter warmer: Double
rooms at The Black Bull
cost from approximately
£139 per night with breakfast,
theblackbullsedbergh.co.uk
WOODED WONDERS
The New Forest is one of the
UK’s most beautiful walking
spots with its wild ponies,
ancient woodlands, thatched
cottages and high-banked lanes.
The Trusty Servant Inn sits in
Minstead, a country village
whose 13th-century church is
home to the grave of Sir Arthur
Soak up the views
in the New Forest
Conan Doyle, creator of
Sherlock Holmes. The pub has
five dog-friendly rooms either
overlooking the village green
or the back garden and is the
perfect location for forest walks.
Winter warmer: Doubles at
The Trusty Servant Inn start
from £95 with breakfast.
thetrustyservant.co.uk

2EAL 200
PEOPLE
 Cosy up in a shepherd
hut at the Merry Harr
iers
rs

TRAVEl

Follow a walk on
the Downs with a
hearty pub lunch

HEATHLAND WALKS
The North Wessex Downs is a
designated Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty and a great
place to take a wintry stroll.
Base yourselves at The Crown
& Garter restaurant with
rooms in the pretty village
of Inkpen which has 10
individually designed rooms
including one interconnecting
room for families. A circular
four-mile walk from the pub
takes in heathland, picturesque
light
lig t woodland
igh dl and
nd farmm
tracks. A longer, more
challenging walk of just over
11 miles includes a steep
descent and many stiles and key
landmarks including Walbury
Hill, Combe Gibbet, Inkpen
Church and Common – the
perfect challenge before a
hearty Sunday roast back
at the pub.
Winter warmer: Double
rooms at the Crown &
Garter start from £130,
including breakfast.
crownandga
c a g rter.co.uk
crownandgarter co uk
SHEPHERD’S DELIGHT
The cheery sight of the Merry
Harriers in Hambledon, is
enough to lift your spirits. Choose
to stay at the inn, or cosy up in
one of the new shepherd huts
dotted around a neighbouring
field with log burners, sheepskin
rugs and a firepit and chairs
outside. There are plenty of
walking options nearby. Guests
can also choose a llama trek,
WORDS: HEARST PICTURES: GETTY , NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/HUGH MOTH, SLR PHOTOGRAPHY
Branch out with
a llama walk
guiding
idi them
th
h along
l the
th trails
t
of The Greensand Way.
Winter warmer: Shepherd
Huts at the Merry Harriers
cost from £195 per night
(sleeps two). Inn Rooms
start from £140 per night
including breakfast. Llama
treks cost from £55.20 per
adult, £27.60 per child (aged
8-13). merryharriers.com

SPLENDOUR OF SNOWDROPS
The National Trust has a mix of open-
access sites and pay-for entry gardens over
the winter months. Head to Stowe from
New Year’s Day to late February to catch
the Stowedrop season of snowdrops in
bloom. Take a walk to the Elysian Fields,
Sleeping Wood and Lamport Garden to see
the white drifts amid a magical landscape
of lakes and temples.
nationaltrust.org.uk/stowe/trails/
stowe-secret-places-walk

See the
snowdrops 2
21
at Stowe
 Ever wondered why
why
crackers go bang or e?
os
Rudolph has a red n
n ce
In this seasonal scie
c ia l, w e’v e p ut o u r top
spe
s tiv e tr a d it io n s u n de r
fe
ve a l
the microscope to re
12 fascinating facts…

2. WHY DOESN’T ING

1. WHY IS RUDOLPH’S
NOSE RED? CHRISTMAS PUDD
BURN? as
As everyone knows, Santa’s top reindeer e Christm
has a shiny, glowing red nose. And it’s not Before tucking into th l to watch in
because he’s got a cold. Dutch scientists pudding, it’s traditiona used with
do
awe as the dessert is But the flames
WORDS JAMES MOORE PICTURES: BIGSTOCK, GETTY

have actually shown that reindeer have a d set on fir e.

brandy an
25 per cent higher concentration of blood al food. That blue
vessels in their hooters than humans, which never reach the actu reaction of the
e
can help regulate their body temperature flame is created by th e brandy and
oh ol – in th
ethanol – alc
in the extreme cold. So it may be possible on ly th e vapour ffrom
oxygen. But it’s
for some reindeer to have noses that look and once that’s
a bit red. Just like us in the cold. Ironically, the booze that burns so the p pudding
t,
reindeer cannot see red, but they can see gone the flames go ou sults, ex xperts
re
ultraviolet light – giving them the edge on any is unscathed. For best bit first. Yum!
dy a
other animals on a dark winter’s night. And, say to warm the bran
another hoofing good fact, Santa’s reindeers
are actually female – as males shed their
antlers in winter. Oh deer! 4. W Y ARE
SPROUTS SO
3. WHY DO CKERS GO BANG?r! But just
O CRACK YUCKY?
way without pulling a cracke
Christmas dinner can’t get properly under
the cracker is Love them or loathe them,
what makes them go bang? Well, attached to the cardboard tube those little green globs are hard
p a small amount of
made from are two thin strips of cardboard. Where they overla silver to avoid. Yet one survey found that
sandpaper is treated with a tiny amount of an explosive chemi cal called
r in differe nt Brussels sprouts are our most hated
fulminate. The friction caused by two people pulling the cracke veg. Boffins have revealed you might
directions generates enough heat to make it explode, with the sound
the have the perfect excuse to pass on
amplified by the tube. Apparently the best way to ensure you grab them. A 2011 study by scientists
swag is to pull the cracke r with two hands and tilt it
at Cornwall College found that
downwards. Top tip! sprouts contain a chemical similar
to phenylthiocarbamide, which
only tastes bitter to people who
have a variation of a certain
gene. But around half of the
world’s population have it –
which is why so many people
turn up their noses but
granny insists they’re
2EAL 222 delicious.
PEOPLE
 SCIENCE F !
6. HOW DOES SANTA
DELIVER ALL THOSE
PRESENTS?
cientis ts have calculated that to ma
children get their presents at Christ ke sure all
ma
has to travel at a speed of 1,279 mil s, Santa
es per
second. That’s 6,395 times the spe
ed of sound.
Gulp. His loaded sleigh would we
igh
tons and need 214,200 reindeer to 321,300
pull it. Some
scientists have speculated that to
achieve this he
uses a warp drive sleigh, takes adv
antage of
teleportation or shortcuts in space
and time
known as wormholes. And, accord
ing to relativity
theory, Santa and the reindeer wo
uld shrink going
at this speed, which would explain
how he could
get down all those chimneys! Wh
o knew magic
could be so scientific?

Putting your pressie in a square

box is ideal, according to a
formula devised by Manchester
University. Researchers found The Star of Bethlehem, from the
that using this sort of container, Christmas story, may have its origin in
along with a square piece of real astronomical events around the time
wrapping paper needs just one Christ is said to have been born. Scientists
piece of tape and reduces waste. have discovered that in 6BC the moon
Wrapping paper with stripes or appeared to pass in front of Jupiter in the
checks is best for matching night sky, while the following year there
up the pattern in the folds and was an alignment of Jupiter and
joins. Get your head wrapped Saturn that could have created
around that! another unusually bright
spectacle. Space-age
5. WHY DO CHRISTMAS TREE stuff!
LIGHTS ALWAYS GET TANGLED? 9. WHAT’S
It’s not just you that spends ages untangling your
lights – a few years ago Tesco even advertised a job THE PERFECT 10. WHAT’S THE BEST
for someone to do it! Physicists at the University of CHRISTMAS SONG? WAY TO CUT CAKE?
California tested tangles by shaking up wires in a Musicologist Dr Joe Bennett from the
box and found that scores of complex knots form as Not all solutions to modern problems
Boston Conservatory in the US studied are high-tech. Back in 1906 scientist Sir
wires coil round and interweave and that this was festive songs on Spotify. He found that the
aces where we keep them Francis Galton came up with a perfect
perfect Christmas tune involved lyrics about way to cut a slice of Christmas cake so it
ike lo ts and under the stairs. For any cord more Santa, snow, home, peace, love and sleigh
han two metres, t ngles are pretty much stays moist. Rather than cutting out the
bells and had a tempo of 115 bpm. And do yo usual wedge pieces, his method involved
uaranteed. But, boffins, how do we sort them?! know what goes best with tunes? Booze! cutting a slice right across the centre of
Psychologists at Oxford University have the cake, then pushing the two remaining
even found that the type of music we pieces together. The next time, you cut
listen to can improve the taste of wine. right across again at right angles to the
Listening to Eartha Kitt’s Santa first slice, pushing the pieces together –
Baby increased enjoyment by and so on. It does stop the cake drying
10 per cent, they found. out, but would your mum put up with it?!
Cheers!
F n sts Dr David
ew s an Margaret
-L it h have revealed
e er ect proportions for a
hristmas nner to get the ?
est com ation of health Yes, according to the latest research, but some of us
benefits, w le feeling are more likely to be a Scrooge than others. Danish
at s e n ead of bloated. researchers studied MRI scans of the brains of
t nvo ves 150g of white Yuletide fans and compared them to more ‘Bah
roast tur e meat, 110g of Humbug’ types. They found that people who enjoyed
c estnut st fing, 155g the festive season had increased blood oxygen flow
o steame sprouts, 150g in five parts of the brain associated with spirituality,
o carrots, 50g of red senses and emotion. Meanwhile, mathematicians who
ca age, g of roast devised a formula for the perfect Christmas Day found
puds, 100 of gravy – but families had the best time when they avoided TV
on y one c polata. Boo! before the Queen’s Speech. Sorry, kids – remote’s lost
and we’re all doing headstands to get into the mood.
 Serves 4 Prep 5 mins Cook 15 m
ins
• 1 onion, finely chopped • About 8 rea
dy-cooked
roast potatoes, roughly chopped (use
at room
temperature) • 1tbsp white wine vinega
r • Handful
of fresh dill, finely chopped • Handful
of leftover
smoked salmon, roughly chopped • 2ts
p horseradish
sauce (optional) • Leftover red cabba
ge, to serve

1 Heat 1tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, add

Cook for 2-3 mins on low until softened.
onion and season.
Raise heat and add
per n potatoes (you may need a more oil, but
don’t use too much).

2 Cook potatoes for 5-10 mins until they

a little and come back to life.
begin to crisp up

3 Meanwhile, mix together vinegar and dill

Add to potatoes and turn to coat, cook 1-2
through horseradish if using. Taste and
, and add salmon.
mins, then stir
season some more if
needed. Serve with red cabbage on side.

Left !
Show your
Crimbo
leftovers
some real
affection!

erves 4
5 mins
Prep 10 mins Cook 1
350g spaghetti
• 3-4 rashers of bacon •
ible) • 142ml carton
• 3 eggs (as fresh as poss
125g Parmesan, grated
of double cream • About
ed leftover turkey,
• Handful of ready-cook
es • Handful of
sliced into bite-sized piec
flat-leaf parsley, finely ch
opped per tion
d
ing pan and add bacon an
Heat ½tbsp olive oil in a fry
1 fry for a few mins until golde
n and crispy, remove and
Put to one side.
Y, HE ARST

slice into bite-sized pieces.

water to the boil and add
Bring a large pan of salted
2 spaghetti, cook for about 10
-12 mins or until cooked to
PICTURES: GE TT

water.
de nt e. Dr ain an d re tu rn to pan with a little cooking
al
isk together eggs, cream
While pasta is cooking, wh
3fresh
and Parmesan (reserving a
ly gr at ed bla ck pe pp er. As
little) and add plenty of
soon as pasta has been
g mixture and toss well so
WORDS: HE ARST

, wh ile it is ho t, stir in eg
drained Make sure
tti ge ts we ll co at ed . Ad d bacon and turkey and toss leftover turkey
spaghe
m bin e
e. Sp rin kle ov er re m aining Parmesan and isn’t fridge-cold.
well to co
ely.
parsley and serve immediat
Yorkshire Pudding,
The Iceland Luxury Filled
Noot a fan of fruit cake? Pop family talking around
oice £3, will definitely get the
Iff your festive drink of ch D cember in your diary, as the dinner table. This fluffy
pud is filled

CHECK
ch eck 6 De
is a creamy liqueur, thhat’s when the delightful with mac ’n’ cheese and
topped
o t Aldi’s Ballycastle ped in

THESE
ou Saanta Belly Cake from with pork sausages wrap
Salted Caramel Cream, M rrison’s arrives. Soft Ma
Mo
deira
streaky bacon. Easy to pre
pare,

OUT!
£ .99, which tastes pberry jam and food
£6 sponge is filled with ras making it a great comfort
rich, chocolately and in soft icing. Perfect for time.
buttercream, and covered fix when you are short of
is best enjoyed served . It’s £10 and serves 12.
. the young or young at heart
24 over loads of ice
24
 WI N !
WORTH
OVER
£125!

1 TO!
WIN

T
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E
Enter online at re
 Fir-ever Bauble HEAD
We made
a spooky
spruce

ict o r ia’s d is p lay is n ot

V
just for Christmas...

‘F
inally,’ I sighed to Christmas was scaled back Shane and
myself. last year due to the pandemic. me with
It was 31 October Normally, there would be 22 of Demi and
last year and my us – me, the girls, Shayne, two Kayleigh
daughters, Kayleigh, uncles, two brothers, one sister
17, and Demi, nine, had gone to sleep. and their kids.
Halloween was just about over. My mum Sherryl, 61, would banners and I saw her daughter
Now it was time to decorate my cook for us all. balloons. I took a was a cancer
7ft fake Christmas tree. But last Christmas there were snap and posted it survivor.
It was already up, in the middle just a few of us round there – us, on my Facebook. It touched my
of my living room. the kids and a few other relatives. What a way to heart to think my
Ho, ho, how’s about that for Mum still pulled out all the stops spread joy, friends tree was bringing joy
organised? for the perfect day. commented. to people who had
In fact, I’d had it up since the I really was on a Christmas high. Everyone loved it. been affected.
beginning of October. Then we rolled into New Year. What should I do ‘I don’t want any
I’d even decorated it for Early January 2021 burst me out next? I pondered. cards this year, instead
Halloween. Covering it in spider of the festive bubble. That is when A knockout tree I want donations,’ I
webs and blue, green and orange Demi caught Covid-19. 2021 became the to support boxer told my family and
lights. Did she catch it at Christmas? year of the tree. Lauren Price friends as my birthday
‘Would you like some help?’ my Or maybe when she went to her I’ve now came around later
partner, Shayne, had asked as I put dad after? redecorated it 154 in September.
googly eyes on. times! I contacted the charity Young
I shook my
head. No one is
It felt like the only For every
national holiday or
Lives vs Cancer, who sent me a
collection box. I raised £96.
PICTURES: BIGSTOCK, SWNS

allowed to touch
my tree but me!
The girls had
shining light around awareness day, my
tree gets a new look.
On St David’s
‘Your donation has allowed two
families to stay in one of our
homes,’ they told me.
loved the spooky spruce. I was racking my brain as to Day, I decked it out with miniature Now it’s nearly Christmas again.
By the time they woke up again how or where my little girl had artificial daffodils, leeks, a miner Before the festive finale, the
next morning, the tree had been caught the virus. and a Welsh flag. tree will celebrate all the different
transformed into a winter We spent the next 14 days When Prince Philip passed, it decorations it’s had over the
wonderland, festooned in red, green, isolating. Luckily, no one else fell ill, became a memorial tree. As Easter past year.
gold and white fluffy baubles. and Demi had very mild symptoms. rolled round, I hung multi-coloured Then as Christmas ends, it will
But, despite me going all-out on Lying on the sofa, watching a Easter eggs and little bunnies. be packed away early January.
the decor, Christmas film to cheer her up, I make most of the bits and bobs Maybe then I will take up
I stared at the tree. myself or buy the odd thing from Shayne’s offer for help.
Paying With everything eBay. He can shove it back in the attic!
tree-bute going on, I hadn’t When I change the decorations, Victoria Gauden, 37,
to Prince taken it down yet. I put the old ones in my craft box Bargoed, South Wales
Philip Now the thought to take with me to my job as a
made me upset. youth worker.
With all the September this year, I
Who nose
negativity in the world, decorated for childhood
it felt like the only cancer awareness month.
what cause
thing shining a light. This time it was studded with is next?
Then it came to me! yellow ribbons and love hearts.
Shayne’s birthday This tree has made me so
was on 12 January. I happy, not many know we turn
could decorate it for that. yellow in September for childhood
Once Shayne had cancer, thank you, a woman
nodded off on the 11th, commented on Facebook.
Saluting
I decorated my tree with After snooping her profile,
the NHS
and their As told to Karis Nash 7
needles! (stories@realpeoplemag.co.uk)
 1 TO
WIN!

ke
is
Leo (left) with h
fur sister Lun a

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Rogerio’s home,
For your chance to win a Mane UK Haircare Bundle, worth over £100,
simply solve my Boxing Match below…
to his kitten Luna…
thanks

S
ighing, I hauled my eight-
month-old cat, Leo, and
two-month-old kitten, Luna,
up the stairs in their baskets.
‘Whose idea was it to move four
floors up?’ I grumbled.
It was September this year and I
was moving into a new flat with my
two Persian pusses – cuddlebug Leo
and Luna who, only with me for two
weeks, was still quite timid.
At least, after a few days of hissing,
she’d bonded with her new big bro.
hey snuggled up together now.
‘Welcome to your new home,’ I
panted, letting them out of their baskets
in our new place.
Suspicious, they crept around,
exploring. In the kitchen, teeny Luna
snuck behind the washing machine.
I wasn’t worried – she reappeared
every time I shook a bag of treats.
But, that night, I was woken by Leo
screaming his furry head off.
Meeeeooooowwwww!
‘What’s happened?’ I cried, sitting up
in bed.
I could hear him in the kitchen,
wailing like a soul in torment.

PETof the
WEEK
PICTURES: BIGSTOCK, INSTAGRAM, SWNS

NAME: Eddie
AGE: Six
BREED: Border Terrier
CHRISTMAS LIKES: Turkey
I’d like
BOXING MATCH CHRISTMAS DISLIKES:
Sprouts to get my
PICTURES: BIGSTOCK

CHRISTMAS BAD HABITS: paws on

Here’s a crossword solution that’s been broken up and turned into Opening other people’s some
pressies!
a jigsaw puzzle. Can you put it back together? Three pieces have been presents – they should
left in their original positions to help you start. When you’re done, all be for me!
the letters in the yellow boxes, read in order, will spell out your OWNER: Caroline Palin,

PAGE 30
prize answer. See p43 to enter. St Helens, Merseyside
 Send us your animal
stories, funny pics & pets
s

ers!
of the week – there’s £25
for each one we print!
Write to Real People
or email letters@
realpeoplemagazine.co.uk
with Jane Common ASK NIGEL
The fire brigade Real People’s resident
Luna had had to break my ‘doggie doctor’,
plummeted poor puss free! Nigel, answers your
down the pet’s problems
chimney

’Tis the season to be jolly woofy

,
so why am I only allowed healthy
treats this year? Surely I can
have turkey and sprouts?
Love, Otto, Beeston, Notts.

Taking
after me,
perhaps?!
I An RSPCA inspector arrived and
turned
over and went back to sleep.
Next morning, though, he refused
breakfast.
And there was no sign of Luna.
I shook her treats.
Nothing.
By lunchtime, she still hadn’t
emerged.
I trawled through packing boxes
for a screwdriver, unscrewed the
washing machine and shoved it into
the middle of the kitchen… revealing
a Luna-sized gap between the
floorboards!
My stomach lurched. Had she
fallen through it?
Then, faint, a meow – from below.
Panic rising, I found my hammer
and wrenched up the floorboard
next to the gap to create a bigger
hole. Then I shone my phone torch
down it.
A tunnel and, at the bottom, two
green eyes glinting…
‘Must be a chimney,’ I gaped.
The building was Victorian –
I called at 7am, before I’d even had
my coffee.
dripped some water down the shaft
– to check Luna was still alive.
‘She’s moving,’ he said and relief
washed over me. ‘But we need the
fire brigade to get her out.’
Half an hour later, eight firemen
arrived.
‘This chimney’s narrow,’ one
frowned. ‘We won’t get a cage
down there.’
So they improvised, tying a towel
to some rope to create a hammock
and putting some wet food in the
middle – to tempt Luna to jump on.
I held my breath as they lowered
it down.
She didn’t budge.
‘She’s adjacent to the ground-floor
flat,’ the firemen told me. ‘That’s a
30-foot drop at least. We need to
access your ground-floor neighbours’
flat. If they don’t have a fireplace, we’ll
have to smash the wall.’
I squealed. ‘Can we knock your wall
down?’ wasn’t the best introduction.
But what choice was there?
I rang their bell.
Luna
sle ng off
epi Don’t fret – a small amount of wh
her ordeal turkey meat and sprouts shouldn’t
ite
do any harm. But some human foo
ds
are bad for our health so avoid gra
blared with instructions from the vy,
stuffing and those pesky raisins and
firemen still in my flat, shining
chocolate as they can make you
a light down the shaft.
really sick. Safest to stick to yum
‘Right a bit – left, right.’ my
pooch-friendly treats – I’ve got lots
The barber and corner
on my Christmas list!
shopkeeper gathered to watch. I
was certainly making an entrance Love, Nigel xxx
into my new neighbourhood!
Finally the hole was big Nigel was helped by PDSA vet Rebecc
a
enough for the fireman to reach Ash man. The PDSA is the UK’s leading
veterinary charity. To donate to the PDS
in – and grab Luna. But the kitten A,
visit pdsa.org.uk/get-involved
that emerged was a grey scruffy
urchin – not my pristine Persian.
y
Furry & funn
The RSPCA inspector
checked her over – no bones
broken. Then he passed her to
me. I sneezed as a puff of soot
‘Where’s
shot up my nose.
‘You’re having a bath,
mine? Bella
madam,’ I wheezed. wa nts her
Leo was over the moon to be bellyful of
reunited with his pal. Luna just turkey
wanted to sleep off her ordeal. too!’
But, next morning, she was Tes sa
right as rain, wolfing down For bes ,
breakfast. Meanwhile my Abe rde en
landlady sent someone round

Get me one!
obviously, at some point, the Hi I o,’ I smiled sheepishly. to block off the gaps.
residents of my flat e just moved i upstairs but my Now I’m preparing for the
blocked it off. tten’s fallen do n the chimney.’ festive season – Leo and
No Santa visits i Thankfully, th appreciated the Luna’s first together
this house. urgency of the sit ation and let me, the – with Advent calendars Say
‘What am I going to RSPCA inspec or o and four firemen in. filled with cat treats. cheese – all
do?’ I asked Leo. Sure eno gh, their chimney I’m happy to be the cameras will
Not a whisker of a idea. s bu t over but the playing Santa be clicking in your
Instead, secure t at re n reckoned they this year. dog’s direction if he
he’d handed over hi d cut into it from the A healthy goes as Gromit to the
responsibilities, he erior wall, next to Luna is the festive fancy dress parties.
ambled off for a nap. e neighbour’s patio. only gift I ever The Raincoat and Sou’wester
Not knowing whatt For the next two want coming outfit is practical for walks too
else to do, I called hours, they sawed through our – 100 per cent waterproof with
the fire brigade – through the brick, chimney.
fleece lining and an adjustable
who advised me, reating a hole Rogerio
as night was falling, d, painstakingly, Antunes, drawstring. Order yours
to ring the RSPCA ing it. 38, West for Christmas now – from
praying I’ve seen
in the morning. ir walkie-talkies London £24.99 at urbanpup.com
I’m
rama
the last of the d 29
29
from my mogs!

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PICTURES: BIGSTOCK, GETTY
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not just on the health and 1 4
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TIME TO TRY: Placing a rose quartz
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Feeling a bit bored or restless?
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 REAL
CRIME
B
E j i
Enjoying
super posh
birthday
banquet of
a
lobster, steak
and crab,
SQU AL
wife Penny
decided to turn
butcher...
o say the
th Jacksons
J k had
h d
PICTURES: GETTY, SHUTTERSTOCK, SWNS
a complicated past was
something of an
understatement.
Penny, 66, was on her fourth
husband. She’d married for the
first time aged 18, and had two
daughters before leaving after
claiming he was violent.
Hubby number two had been
gay and her third husband had
killed himself after he discovered
she was having an affair.
The affair was with David
Jackson, the man who would
become her fourth – and final –
husband.
He too had a complex
backstory. His first marriage
ended when he began an affair
with his second wife, Sheila
Taylor. Then his marriage to
Sheila ended when he started
his affair with Penny.
Talk about marrying the
mistress and creating a
vacancy...
David and Penny had met
through work. Penny was an
accountant in the Royal Air
Force and later moved to the
army, where she fell for David, a
lieutenant colonel, dashing in his
32
32
uniform, braids and medals.
After the affair broke up
David’s marriage and Penny’s
husband killed himself, the
couple lived in Germany and
France together.
Penny’s young daughter,
Isabelle, fathered by her dead
husband, was raised by David as
his own and later adopted by him.
Leaving the wreckage of their
past behind them, David and
Penny married in April 1996 and
seemed to have, at last, found
happiness.
Yes, they often bickered, but by
2021 they had been together for
nearly 30 years – something of an
achievement for both of them.
In their retirement, the
comfortably-off
pair were keen on
upmarket P&O David’s chest had
cruises. They
liked the luxury of life
at sea and dressing for
been slashed
dinner in the evenings; David in
his white tuxedo and satin bow
tie and blonde Penny in her little
black dresses.
They had five cruises booked –
including to the Canaries and
Caribbean – but they’d been called
off because of the pandemic.
So in February this year, with
the country in lockdown, Penny,
66, and David, 78, were holed up
in their two-bedroom bungalow
in Berrow near t e town
of B -on-Sea in S erset.
On 13 February, the day before
Valentine
Valentine’ss Day,
Day it was Penny
Pennny’ss
66th birthday. There could be no
family celebrations, so instead
Isabelle had arranged something
special – a gourmet meal delivery
that the couple could eat during
a Zoom dinner with Isabelle and
her husband, Tom Potterton.
They all dressed up for the
occasion and kicked off with
cocktails before starting on the
meal of crab, lobster and steak.
It was pleasant, until Penny
asked David, ‘Shall I get the
bubble and squeak out now?’
‘What are you on about?’
David said. Awkward.
Earlier, when they had opened
the fancy meal box before the
Zoom call, they’d discovered
there was only broccoli to go
with the steak, so Penny had put
bubble and squeak in the oven.
Now though, David was
embarrassed that Penny had
mentioned it in front of their
daughter. You didn’t have bubble
and squeak with a fancy gourmet
meal. It seemed ungrateful when
it must have been pricey.
After David said ‘Well, I didn’t
want the bubble and squeak,’ he
and Penny began to bicker about
whose idea it had been in the
first place.
Watching this play out over
Zoom, Isabelle rolled her eyes
and tried to change the subject.
Later, though, the pair were
rowing again. This time it was
over the iPad they were using for
the call. It was running out of
battery and not charging.
‘Your mum will never admit
when she’s wrong,’ David said.
Isabelle could see that Penny was
getting upset, so they decided it
was time for everyone to log off.
At 8.08pm that evening
Isabelle called Penny to
check she was OK.
‘I’m absolutely fine,
don’t worry, I’ll call you in
the morning,’ Penny said.
But things were not fine in the
Jacksons’ bungalow.
Less than an hour later, at
9pm, David was calling 999. He
had been slashed across the
chest with a sharp kitchen knife.
His attacker was Penny.
As he spoke to emergency
services she grabbed the phone
from him and stabbed him twice
in the abdomen.
During the 18-minute phone
call Penny spoke in a calm voice,
telling the call handler, ‘I’ve
 David and Penny
had been together
for almost 30 years
killed my husband, or
tried to, because I’ve
had enough. I might go
and stab him again.
‘I am in the lounge,
he is in the kitchen
bleeding to death, with
any luck,’ she said,
adding: ‘I thought I’d
get his heart but he hasn’t
got one.’
When the operator asked
her to help David by applying
pressure to the wound or using a
towel to try to stem the bleeding,
she repeatedly refused.
‘I am not going to help him,’
she said. ‘I know this is being
recorded. I am compos mentis,
but I have had enough of the
abuse and the nastiness. I am not
doing anything to help him.
‘He deserves everything he has
got – I accept everything that is
coming my way. I might just go
and do it again.’
Officers found David, bleeding
to death in his underpants in the
kitchen.
There was a scrappy,
handwritten confession note
from Penny, saying: To whom it
may concern, I have taken so
much abuse over the years – look
at my records.
But he was a good daddy.
However, the mask slipped
tonight. That was unforgivable.
I accept my punishment, may he
rot in hell.
How had a row about bubble
and squeak escalated to this?
As she was arrested, all she
seemed concerned about was
going back into the house to get
her coat, even telling police
where to find it.
At the police station, when she
had her temperature taken, she
said: ‘That would be just great,
getting Covid on top of this.’
David died of his wo
A WOMAN SNAPPED
Penny showed
no remorse for
her actions
KILLER
Penny was charged with murder.
She claimed that David had been
controlling, stopping her from
seeing friends and deciding
what she watched on TV.
It was now up to a jury to
decide if she was telling the
truth.
At her trial at Bristol Crown
Court in October she denied
murder but pleaded guilty to
manslaughter, saying that David
was both violent and coercively
controlling of her.
Her defence lawyer, Clare
Wade QC, said, ‘This case is
about domestic abuse, control
and ultimately entrapment.
Domestic abuse is not physical
all of the time.’
She said that Penny had
‘lost control’ and stabbed her
husband. She did not intend to
kill him or cause serious harm.
She lost all ability and sense of
self and identity by the time she
lashed out at David.’
Giving evidence about the
bubble and squeak incident
Penny said, ‘He had the contempt from school to find her mum
for me and a
ad been so rude
noxious front of
our daughter.
Police arrive
da
couple’s bun t the
galow
‘It w
wasn’t the
straw that
broke the
camel’s
back but it
was in the
bundle.’
She
said that
David had intended to kill your husband and
been
violent
during
their
marriage. ‘I
didn’t know if
I was waking
up to nice David
or nasty David,’
she claimed.
‘It would escalate, and
he would shake me most of the of friction the lockdown will have
time, he strangled me sometimes
and I would go unconscious.’
She said that David was so
jealous when they first met that
she got property of David
Jackson tattooed on her bottom.
Describing the night of the
killing, she said she took a knife to
David’s bedroom for protection.
She said that she wanted him
to apologise, but when he
wouldn’t she threatened to kill
herself. She claimed that he then
goaded her, suggesting she ‘get
on with it’.
Penny said that this was the
moment when she lost it, ‘I just
thought: I cannot do this. It is not
fair and I lost control.’
Their daughter Isabelle, 31,
who was pregnant, gave
evidence. She said she
remembered incidents of
‘serious aggression’ by her dad
against her mum over 20 years
earlier while they were living
in Germany.
She said David once held a
knife against her mum’s throat
and also recalled arriving home
pinned up against the wall of
the hallway with a bloody nose.
Jane Calverley, David’s
By Lindsay Calder
(stories@realpeoplemag.co.uk)
daughter from
hi first
his fi marriage,
painted a
different picture,
saying that it was
in fact Penny who
was the abuser.
Jane said:
‘My father was
a proud man and
this consequently
cost him his life.
He would not seek
help from someone
bullying, berating
and psychologically
controlling him
because he would have viewed
that as a man he should not be
experiencing this and felt shame.’
After the two-and-a-half week
trial, Penny was found guilty of
David’s murder.
The judge Martin Picton told
Penny: ‘I have no doubt you
it was a premeditated murder.
Your behaviour shows a shocking
level of callousness. During the
four days of giving evidence I did
not detect a shred of genuine
remorse on your part for the
crime you have committed.’
Sentencing her to life with a
minimum of 18 years in prison,
he said, ‘There were no doubt
tensions in the marriage, points
accentuated, but I’m quite sure
he was nothing like the person
you claimed.’
For Isabelle, who had posed so
happily between her delighted
parents on her wedding day, life
would never be the same.
Although David was not her
biological father, she adored him.
She said, ‘I have lost the man that
I looked up to and loved. I have
lost the man that was always
there for me no matter what.
‘The man that came and fixed
things in my house which I didn’t
know even needed fixing. The
man that could make me laugh.’
Talking about her mum, she
said ‘I have lost the woman who
always knew how to make me feel
better. The woman who was my
friend, my champion and my
support. The woman who cared,
cherished and loved me.
‘Yes I know Mum is here, but
she’s not the same person I knew.
‘However, I love both of them.
I always have and I always will.’
In the future, when Isabelle’s
children wonder why they have
no maternal grandparents, she
will have a difficult truth to tell;
grandma murdered grandpa and
she is locked up behind bars.
33
33
 P U Z L E JUST
TR A I L FOR
1

FUN! 1 Senior diplomat (10)

2 Classical music
group (9)
Give your brain a boost and pit your wits against our
mix of testing teasers. See p35 for the answers. 2

3 Emotional shock (6)

4 ___ Polo, explorer (5)

S-S-S
SNAKE 4

I - SPY
Can you spot six differences between these two shots
S-s-starting at ‘1’, write your
answers to the clues in the grid,
slithering along in the direction
of London at Christmas time. As it’s just for fun, see if of the S-S-S-Snake. Each answer
you’re right, on p35. overlaps the next by one, two or
three letterssss…
1 2 3 4
6

5 Squash, squeeze (8)

6 Keyboard button (5,3)

B 7

7 Clingy shellfish (8)

8 Green- and white-stalked
vegetable (4)
PICTURE: GETTY

C
8

4
 ITSY BITSY NAME
Everybody loves a mini break, right? Well here’s two of ’em! In the top grid look

GAME
for some birds. All are hidden in the usual way, except one – which one?

C P H B N R R U W N T F BLACKCAP RHEA
B B A E L H A K K A E A CONDOR TOUCAN
C K R E E A D M H J I L Can you fill in the missing letters in each row of the grid to
O W B A U I C C A N P C
FALCON WHINCHAT make eight different nine-letter words, while at the same time
revealing the name of two Asian countries reading down both
T O U C A N N K D C G O JACAMAR WHIPBIRD pink columns? The blue columns are also blank – just to
D R I B P I H W C R A N MAGPIE WREN make things a little trickier! You can check all your answers
T R G O H D H K K A M J at the bottom of the page.
RAIL
D D I W R O D N O C P C
P R I I I E

TEENY WEENY
In the bottom grid look for all these fish. All are hidden in the usual way,
M E G
W A L
P
P
O
P
E
R
except one – which one? Solution at the bottom of the page.

ANCHOVY POLLOCK T E K Y E R P M A L I M
A U D C O S
BREAM SKATE U B C A E V C L T C F H
B E R L I M
R N O N E B V I A N S C
CATFISH SOLE B E L C M O N K F I S H C O N T B E
LAMPREY TILAPIA O I L H T K S U F K C Y
MONKFISH TURBOT T V O O L T P T A T I E B E G N E S
U O P V S I A T B S O B
PLAICE G R E T A E
Y C E Y I C E M A E R B

Piece of cake! PRIZE

ANSWERS ust for FUN!

LUTIONS
Fill the grid using the FOR ISSUE 41
4 3 2 1 6 9
numbers from 1 to 9 P08 – The Whopper!
only. Each numbers
7 3 8 1 Prize answer: Rodney
2 7 9 3 5 P10 – Roulette
just appear once in Prize answer: Denmark
every column, row and 7 P24 – Go And Arrow P5 – Spiral P34 – I-Spy: A2, A4, B2, B3, C3, C4.
3x3 square. Prize answer: Paints 1. Cuts, 2. Soda, 3. ABBA, 4. Ajar,
1 4 5. Rush, 6. Harp, 7. Plug, 8. Glut, 9. P34 – S-S-S-Snake:
P50 – Boxing Match
Can 8 Prize answer: Deceit
Tide, 10. Earl, 11. Lump, 12. Pick,
13. Knob, 14. Bulb, 15. Boar, 16.
1. Ambassador, 2. Orchestra,
3. Trauma, 4. Marco, 5. Compress,
you beat 8 2 3 9 5 P52 – Playing The Field Rind. GONDOLA. 6. Space bar, 7. Barnacle, 8. Leap.
the Prize answer: Hit!
P35 – Itsy Bitsy
clock? 7 4 6 9 P60 – Question 1 P5 – Wordwheel
Asunder, dare, dean, dear, dune, Not hidden: Rail.
Prize answer: B) Orange
1 9 2 7 6 8 earn, near, nude, nurse, read, rend, P35 – Teeny Weeny
P62 – Lost In Moo-Sic rude, rued, rues, rune, ruse, sane, Not hidden: Tilapia.
Prize answer: sear, sedan, send, snare, sundae,

Not so easy! P35 – Name Game

C) Just Give Me A Reason sure, under, unread, used, user.
P62 – Cow-A-Bingo! Top to bottom: Primitive, Megaphone,
Prize answer: C) 69 843 215 769 Wallpaper, Audacious, Beryllium,
P63 – Question 2 957 634 812 Constable, Beginners, Great Dane.
Fill the grid using the 261 879 354 P35 – US states: Malaysia and Thailand.
4 8 9 1 3 Prize answer: A) Mick
numbers from 1 to 9 P65 – X Factor
738 142 596 Easy P46 – Just For The Hell Of It!
516 983 247
3 8 4 Prize answer: 21 Xmas dinner: Cranberry sauce, Roast
only. Each number 429 756 138
potatoes, Sprouts, Stuffing, Turkey.
must appear once in 5 P66 – Small Wonder 682 391 475
Prize answer: Sale 374 568 921
564 321
every column, row 195 427 683
3 7 P66 – Nothing For A Pair 213 654
and 3x3 square. 1 7 4 9 Prize answer: Cheryl 248 913 765 426 513
763 285 941 351
P66 – Nice Little Earner
Can 9 3 Prize answer: Merriment P35 – 519 764 328 642
you beat P66 – I’m Too Hex-y! Tough 386 459 172
127 836 459
135
the 6 Prize answer: Sander 495 127 683
clock? 7 9 5 P70 – Diabolical 934 578 216
872 691 534
Prize answer: Eye Know
3 4 2 8 9 651 342 897

O T O PA G E 3 6
Enter online at www.realp F OLLOW FL
 L E
P U Z
TR A I L YI IT’S
the FIELD
In the field below is a herd of 10 cows.
TOUGH!

But the grass is so long it’s tricky to see

them. Can you help Flo work out where HELPFUL TIPS!
all her friends are so that she can get • Cows are stood in horizon
tal and
them back in time for milking? We’ve vertical positions only.

£50! placed some cow parts to help you get

started. HINT: Think Battleships!
• No cow is next to another
direction, including diagon
• Misses are marked right th
in any
ally.
e way
around one of the hits we’v
e given you,
so there’s some grassy boxe
s you can
write in straight away.
• Numbers at the heads of
rows and
columns tell you how many
parts of
a cow are hidden in them. So
, if you see
a ‘0’ at the top of any colu
mn or to the
left of any row, you can gr
ass out the
whole of that one, as there
are no ‘hits’.
• Don’t forget to cross off
the cows
below as you ‘hit’ them.

Oh, where for

art cow?

For your
chance to win,
simply tell us:
Is the pink square
a ‘hit’ (cow part) or
a ‘miss’ (grass)?
See p43 to enter.
WHO YOU NEED TO LOOK FOR:

4x
X 3x

2x 1x
PICTURES: BIGSTOCK

T O PA G E 3 8
Enter online at realpeoplemag.c FO LLOW FLO
 Superdrug
Bloom Drum
Gift Set, £20,
Superdrug

You
Sanctuary
Spa Jar of
Treats, £12.50,
S p o i l yo u Boots
r
gals with Oh

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PICTURES: GETTY

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37
 A Games
WIN! bundle
1 TNO!
WI
G
et set for a competitive Christmas with all
the family as we have a great big whopping
bundle of games to give away! Start your
games night with The Very Merry Christmas Game
as you compete to grab the most lavish set of
presents for your stocking. Follow this with the
hilarious Rate My Plate! where players take turns
to be the cook, but with kids’ modelling clay and
a whole lot of creativity. For little ones (5+),
there is the laugh-out-loud Pie Face Cannon!
Can the player behind the mask block the
whipped cream or will they get pie faced?
Next up is Speech Breaker, where players
have to guess the words on the cards, but
there’s a catch! The microphone jams your
speech, making this a fantastically frustrating
game to play. And if that isn’t enough, we’re also
throwing in Tactic’s range of Let’s Play games;
Bell Towers, Doti, Not for a Million Bucks! and
Panic Alias. We’ve got one games bundle,
worth over £100, up for grabs.
For your chance to win,
simply solve my prize question, below:
PQ1: What is the name of the classic murder
mystery board game?
A) Monopoly B) Cluedo
T O PA G E 4 1
FO LLOW FLO
The haters thhou ht
they could have a
piece of Caitlan –
until she decided
to own every
luscious curve
P
ulling on leggings and
pushing my arms into a
black, baggy hoodie, I
ducked away from the
mirror like a boxer
dodging a blow.
I had no desire to see what I
looked like.
The jibes had begun in primary
school.
I’d been chubbier than the rest My weight
of the kids.
‘Miss Piggy,’ yelled out one of
the boys.
‘Oi, Fatty,’ shouted another.
I stayed silent but squirmed
inside.
Later I found the teacher and
tearfully told her about the boys’
horrible remarks.
But nothing changed – hurtful
comments hurled across the
playground continued.
In secondary school, inches
piled upwards, not outwards and
I grew to 5ft 4in by 14.
Walking everywhere – meeting
mates in the park or going round
theirs – helped to keep me to a size on the sofa with Sam.
14 until I was 15.
But, though I’d grown into my
size, I could never be described as
slim.
I just loved takeaway
margherita pizzas, Mum’s spag bol
and piles of chocolate.
Didn’t know when to stop.
In August 2014, when I was 15,
me and some mates set up a group
chat on our Blackberries, and
some added friends of their own.
Hi, came a message from a bloke
I didn’t know.
Turns out he was called Sam
Woolf. He was 16 and a joiner.
We swapped messages for a week
and then he asked, Want to meet up?
We arranged to go to the park.
I agonised over what to wear.
What’s he going to think of me?
Despite the hot August sun
beating down, I added a hoodie to
my white jeans and pink top.
IN C
won’t stop
me having
fun
Walking into the park I spotted
him straight away.
He was 6ft 1in, slim, handsome.
‘Hi,’ said Sam, smiling.
‘Hi,’ I blushed.
Too late to turn back now.
My nerves dissolved as we
chatted. Soon we were dating.
Happy and settled, my weight
crept up to a size 16.
No need for walking miles each
day when I’d rather be snuggled up
Soon I was nudging a size 18.
What did I weigh? No idea!
I was too scared to jump on the
scales.
My size 18 clobber grew tighter,
so I began to buy size 20.
Mum filled my dinner plate up
with vegetables.
‘Here,’ she said, handing me an
apple and orange after.
Dutifully I ate them but later I
went to the kitchen and quickly
scoffed three slices of bread.
For my first ever Christmas do
with Sam in 2014, I dressed in a
blue shift dress, finishing off the
look with a black fur jacket.
The dress wasn’t clingy yet my
eyes were drawn to my bulging
tum and hips.
I sighed.
Echoes of ‘Miss Piggy’ invaded
my ears once more.
Dispirited at my appearance, I

CH I’m determined
my fans that fat
lp,
Baggy clothes don’t he
tops
so I embrace tighter
arrived at the restaurant with Sam
and went over to chat to our mates.
‘Give me your coat,’ said one.
I began to take it off…
But then I remembered my belly
and hips.
‘Er, I’ll just keep it on for the
moment,’ I said.
Soon, though, the heat began to
take effect.
I could feel my face flushing under
my carefully applied make-up.
‘Are you not hot?’ asked Sam,
peering at me, bewildered.
‘No, no,’ I replied brightly. ‘I’m
fine.’
I felt a drip of sweat on my
forehead and my armpits were
clammy with perspiration.
Should I take my fur jacket off?
No, I don’t want anybody
looking. Keep it on.
I kept the jacket on for the whole
night.
In the New
I’d been teased all
throughout school
to show
can be fun
Y
Year, me andd
Sam went for a
meal.
By now, even more pounds
had piled on.
How much bigger was I?
I was still scared of the
scales but my dress size was
now 22.
What does Sam think of me?
Is he repulsed?
‘I know I’m not the same size as
when we first met,’ I began warily.
But Sam leaned in and cut me off.
‘I love you whatever size you
are,’ he said intently.
I relaxed and beamed, happiness
flooding me.
And a nugget of confidence
began to take hold.
Scrolling through
YouTube, I sought out
videos posted by bigger Fatphobia was a
women.
She’s not shy, I
thought, surveying a
reason to carry on
large woman giving advice on how
to dress a heavier frame stylishly.
I looked at another, dancing
around, happy to put her full size
on show.
She looks great!
I’d bet they’d been on the
receiving end of nasty comments,
just like me.
But the difference between them
and me was they accepted their size.
Completely and utterly.
And this acceptance shone
through in their smiling faces.
‘They’re not trying to hide their
bodies,’ I said to Sam.
Most importantly, they dressed
how they wanted to.
Why can’t I forget what anybody
else thinks?
I’d spent so long hidden under
billowing shirts and massive
hoodies that I hadn’t embraced
a style of my own.
Now I resolved to wear the clothes
that appealed to me, not hide away.
I didn’t need to dress as if I was
apologising for being big.
I chose a gorgeous off-the-
shoulder clingy black top with
As told to Moira Holden and Ellie Fawcett
(stories@realpeoplemag.co.uk)
Coat’s off to YOU
well-fitting jeans to go round
to Sam’s parents.
Previously I’d never have
dared, but with my new-found
confidence…
‘You look great,’ said Sam.
I decided to be more adventurous.
A low-cut vest top glued to my
curves teamed with gleaming
leather trousers.
And I started to think…
Maybe I could inspire other
women in the same way they’d
helped me to accept myself ?
I began to make videos for
YouTube at the start of lockdown.
‘I find that baggy clothes
emphasise how big you are rather
than hiding it,’ I said authoritatively
to the camera, as I sashayed in a
miniskirt and tight top.
I took to TikTok, Instagram and
Twitter too.
I watched in surprise as a steady
stream of followers piled in.
You look fabulous, was one
comment.
So sexy was another.
Last September I even videoed
myself wearing a black bra and
knickers – nothing else!
My followers loved it, soon
tipping over the 100,000 mark.
But I stared in horror when
one person said, You need to
wear Spanx.
And then, You’re disgusting,
I feel sick.
Comments began to be
directed at Sam too.
Why are you with such a fat
person? asked one.
‘Take no notice,’ said Sam.
But the comments began to
rattle me.
One evening, a direct message
on Instagram horrified me.
A pornographic picture had
Sam loves me no
matter my size
I love
getting
dressed
up with no
shame
my face edited onto the head of the
woman.
I blocked the account.
But then my phone buzzed.
A text.
You can’t get rid of me that easily.
I began to shake.
Should I stop posting?
But I grew determined.
No. This fatphobia was all the
more reason to continue.
Me and Sam are now engaged
after he presented me with a
diamond ring last August.
He loves me and
my curves. And I do
too.
I’m now a size 26
but I’m comfortable
and confident in the
skin that I’m in, and I love dressing
up and exploring fashion.
This is my body.
It’s the only one I have.
I’m not ashamed of it. Instead,
I’m proud.
PICTURES: BIGSTOCK, SWNS
And I know I’m helping others
feel the same.
This Christmas I’ve earmarked
a well-fitted knee-length emerald
dress for a dinner with Sam’s
family in a restaurant.
No fur jacket!
My motto: Don’t conceal… reveal!
Caitlan Redding, 22,
Rochford, Essex
2EAL 399
PEOPLE
 B
rea
t
Got a boot sale bargain
with auctioneer Bob H
ayton

or an old ornament yo
reckon is worth a fortu ton
ne?
u
Clockwise
r Bob Hay
Why not le t m e – to p
d
a u
\X
ct
g
io
`Z
n ee
f]pf l iki \X jli\% M y miniature grandfather
clock is made of copper
¼Ée[flk6Aljkj \e [ and seems to be in the Art

ted, yo u’ll get £ 25 – ev en if it’s trash! Nouveau style. I found it in an

If it’s prin old box of bits and pieces. Has
Old Father Time clocked up a
treasure, Bob?
Figure this out! Phil Jesson, Romford
As you say, it is very much an arts and

M
£150
y quirky little reclining figure crafts style of clock, Phil, probably
and his sidekick make a cute dating to Edwardian times when
ornament. I think it could be made of novelty mantel clocks
ivory. Will its value make me sit up like this were popular,
PICTURES: BBC, BIGSTOCK

straight, Bob? many being retailed by

Marion Mecrow, Stockton-on-Tees Liberty of London.
Assuming it to be in
From the images, it looks to be a working order, it has an
Japanese ivory figural carving dating auction value of

£120
to the late 19th/early 20th Century around
period. It is a well-worked piece and, £120.
although it appears to be unsigned,
has an auction value of around £150.

ASK ME
AnythinG! M M E R
Need advice
Under th e H A
on a collectable? o n s th is we e k – c h eck your
uc ti quids in!
Just write in!print it What’s ho o f th e s e, yo u ’l l b e
There’s £25 for you, if
we e
loft... if y
Q This framed
print of hens Gilt metal ha
Pair of ’70s
is one of my lantern. £360 Italian-style
ceramic
favourite pictures.
It’s signed E Hunt ginger
1925, but I don’t jars.
know anything about
it, Bob. Will I be
crowing over its value? £150
Michele Tompkins, Lincs

£20 A Animals and farmyard

scenes, such as your print,
were a particular forte of Edgar
’70s Ercol
solid elm
Leather
‘butterfly’
writing style
Hunt (1876-1955). As a print,
table. chair.
it’s worth no more than £20… the
original oil painting would be
0 more like £2,000! £750 £340
 PUZZLE
Boxed TRAIL
M
in
y beautiful,
sturdy old
Factor
chest was inherited. Have you got what it takes to be successful?
I intend to store blankets See if you can learn what that special something
and my children’s treasures in it, but is from popular actress Olivia Colman. For

£100!
what would have been its original use, Bob? , £100, use OLIVIA to work out the number code
Helen Everett, Bristol for each letter of the alphabet. We’ve placed
Judging by the old labels, your cabin trunk could tell the Os, now you do the same with the
a tale or two. It dates to the early part of the 20th rest. The number that represents ‘X’ is your prize
Century and originally would have had an inner tray. answer. For full entry details turn to page 43.
Not only do they make excellent storage spaces,
they are often repurposed as ‘conversation piece’
coffee tables. It has an auction value of around £50.
£50 1

11
O
2 3

10
4 3

10
5

12
6 7

3
8 9

1
8 10

5
O
13 5 9 9 3 5 14 10 1 6 3 6
O
Me old china! WRITE TO 9 3 11 15 8 6 13

ME AT...
M y vibrant
china set
has such If you’d like my opinion on
1
O
4 8 16 6 8 5 6 15 3 10 3

the value of your item, 13 3 17 8 8

gorgeous send in a clear photo, with
colours. It was as much description as 8 15 18 8 16 19 2 8 5 16 8 16
given to my you can, including size.
parents in the Give details of markings or 5 16 20 5 6
’60s or ’70s. labels, and don’t forget to
I found it after include your full name, 14 16 3 9 13 1 7 8 16
they passed away and I cleared out
their loft. Any value, Bob?
address and phone
number. Send them to:
O
Bob’s Treasure Hunt, Real 2 14 20 8 8
Sharon Round, Barnsley

£30
People, Unit 9, Apollo
Business Centre, Trundleys 8 13 21 3 19 2 8 5 22
It’s Japanese, Sharon, and
could easily have been new Road, Deptford, London
SE8 5JE, or email 13 13 21 23 3
when your parents got it – similar Bob@realpeoplemag.co.uk.
sets were produced from the 1900s I cannot value every item 7 5 13 8 16 15 8 2 1 10
onwards. They were often bought as
souvenirs and made for display rather
sent in or respond
personally to letters.
O
6 24 16 10 5 20 8
than day-to-day use. Your set would sell
at auction for around £30.

Te s t y o u r
21 8 16 8 9 3 13 5 16 20

5 11 21 3 11 13

K N O W L E D G E
PLEASE NOTE, ALL VALUATIONS ARE ESTIMATES AND WE CANNOT RETURN PHOTOS

15 5 10 10 8 25 11 3 10 6 24 5

Guess the value of

18 3 26 6 5 21 16

PICTURE: GETTY
this week’s item &
2 3 10 8 5 14 8 13 7 8 8 9

8 14 15 8 16 20

WIN
£100!
BCDEFGH JK M
N PQRSTU WXYZ
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Put your feet up!
What did this pair O L I V A
of Parker Knoll
armchairs sell for 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
at a recent auction?

A £60 B £260 C £460

HOW TO ENTER For your chance to win, simply answer the Test Your Knowledge
question above, then turn to page 43, where you’ll find full entry details.
PAGE 42
Issue 43’s item was a Chinese export dish. Answer A)£160
 P U Z L E Here’s your

A I L last chance
Not ng
TR to win this
week’s fab
cash prizes! £50! For A Pair
See p43 to enter. …not in this game! We’ve mixed up 12 heroes and sidekicks (first or last
names) which you have to match up. Keep matching until one answer
remains. This is your prize answer. See page 43 for full entry details.

Small Wonder
Here’s a small but shining example of the nation’s favourite puzzle.
Holmes Harry Buzz Chewbacca Frodo

Solve it in the usual way. When completed, the letters in the yellow
squares, reading top to bottom, left to right, will spell out an Spock Wallace Luigi C3PO
your answer. See p43 to enter.

£25!
Aladdin Watson James Woody Mario
ACROSS
1 Plunge into water (3)
3 Hat with a peak (3)
5 Betting amount (5)
1 2 3 4 Kirk R2D2 Shrek n Donkey
6 The bride walks up
it (5)
7 Ram’s partner (3)
8 Touch lightly (3) 5
Han Gromit Genie Ron Sam

DOWN
1 Earn, merit (7)
E
PLUS DON’T FORGET TLH
6
2 Mollify, appease (7)
PICTURES: ISTOCK

DEVILISH D IA B O L IC A
3 Wrinkled (7)
4 Old saying, adage (7)
O N PA G E 4 6 !
7 8

NICE LITTLE EARNER

Cash in here by rearranging the characters below into a Christmassy nine-lette
word. Each letter must only be used once. See p43 for full entry details. £25!
M A T C H S I R S

I’m Too
X-Y! Fatalities Piano piece Shrewd Steal cattle Barely
Write the six-letter answers
to the clues in this grid
around the hexagons,
starting at the point indicated
the arrows and always in Six-piece
Snoozed Reach Responds Unanchored

£50!
band
lockwise direction. When
e, the letters in the yellow
s, reading left to right, will
p l your answer. See p43.

2
Enter online at realpeoplemag.co.uk
 PU ZLE
L
Issue 49, 2 December 2021 Closing date: Midnight 22 December 2021
ENTER BY TEXT ENTER ONLINE CALL THE HOTLINE
Type a message starting with RPL49 Just visit our fantastic website at Simply list all your answers when prompted
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TO ACCEPT COMPETITION ENTRIES BY POST

01 The Whopper! P09 07 It’s A Win, Win! P31 13 Nice Little… P42
£150 Two-night Escape to a Castle for Two £25
ANSWER: ANSWER: ANSWER:

02 Roulette P10 08 Playing The Field P36 14 I’m Too Hex-y P42
£250 £50 £50
ANSWER: ANSWER: ANSWER:

03 Go And Arrow P26 09 Question 1 P38 15 Diabolical P46

Targus Backpack & Laptop Sleeve Bundle A Games Bundle worth over £100 £150
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04 Boxing Match P28 10 X-Factor P41 Test your KNOWLEDGE P41

Mane UK Haircare Bundle £100 £100
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06 Cow-Culator P30 12 Nothing For... P42

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OH BABY?
I’m oing
all out
this
Crimbo!
er n ew b orn on old S t
s Tracy tend erly placed h
A as in for a sh ock er...
an w
Nick’s knee, the big m
G
ently lit by the Crimbo
tree, plonked in front
of the telly, my nan,
Gertrude Wynne, 86,
sipped her sherry and
I watched her face turn rosy.
‘Nan, your nose is going red like
Rudolph’s,’ I grinned, topping up
her glass.
‘Well, it is Christmas,’ she
chuckled, taking another sip.
Me and my mum, Lilian Wynne,
47, had always lived with her mum
in Liverpool.
It was 1988.
Mistletoe and Wine by Cliff
Richard was number one.
PICTURES: BIGSTOCK, GETTY, FOCUS FEATURES
Life felt perfect.
But Nan died at the end of
November 1989.
That Christmas we were too upset
to enjoy ourselves.
And after that, Christmas was
never really the same.
Like the pudding without the
brandy.
Mum had epilepsy and heart
problems and as her health
deteriorated, life became hard
year-round.
She ended up in a wheelchair and
I became her full-time carer.
My only break was the choir I sang
As a kid
w ith
(left) an
2 L 444
P PL
with a couple of times a week at
a centre for adults with learning
difficulties, like me.
We sang gospel, pop, anything
jazzy.
Then in 2014 a new face joined us.
‘I’m Bev,’ she beamed.
Then, going to get up from her
chair, I noticed 42-year-old Bev
Roberts struggling.
‘You’re as bad as me,’ I sighed.
‘I have fibromyalgia.’
‘Me too,’ Bev shrugged ruefully.
‘What a pair!’ I laughed.
We got chatting and after that I
really looked forward to seeing her
at the community centre.
One day I was pushing Mum
through St John’s Market in
Liverpool when we bumped into Bev.
‘Who have you got there?’ I smiled,
nodding at the beautiful little baby
girl in her arms.
I peered closer at the perfect tot.
‘It’s a reborn baby doll,’ Bev smiled.
‘What?’ I asked, confused.
‘They’re made to look realistic,
that’s why they’re so expensive,’ Bev
laughed. ‘She cost £250.’
Bev held out the smiling baby.
‘She’s called Chloee, do you want
a hold?’
…I really did!
I took Chloee into my arms, feeling
the heavy weight of
a real baby, and my
heart melted.
What with looking
after Mum and a
history of rubbish
relationships, I’d
never had children
of my own.
But I’d wanted to.
‘Oh, I want one of
these,’ I breathed,
N an cradling Chloee’s
d soft little body.
Mum
PRISE!
‘Well you’re
not getting one at
that price!’ Mum
piped up. But she
softened when she
saw my face fall.
‘If anything
happens to me, you
can have one with the
money I leave you,’
Mum promised.
I gave Chloee one last
cuddle and handed her back
to Bev.
In October 2018, I took Mum to
see Blackpool Illuminations.
As we trundled past all the lights
on the seafront, Mum patted my
hand.
‘Trey, you do know this is going
to be my last holiday, don’t you?’ she
said softly.
‘Don’t be daft!’ I said. ‘We’ll be back
next year!’
But a month on in November,
Mum collapsed and spent five weeks
in Aintree Hospital.
Her heart was growing weaker.
She was sent home for Christmas
but I’d been too stressed to decorate
the house.
We went to a Toby Carvery for
Christmas dinner. I tried to be jolly,
but felt too worried and sad.
In February 2019 Mum collapsed
again and, this time, she didn’t come
round.
For two days and two nights, I sat
by her bed in Whiston Hospital until
I took
Shaun to
Santa’s
grotto
she
passed away
aged 77. ‘Oh Mum…’ I sobbed,
crumpling with grief.
For 30 years, I’d cared for Mum
without any time to make a life of
my own.
Back home I felt utterly alone.
Then there was a knock at the door.
It was Bev.
‘I’ve brought someone to cheer you
up,’ she said gently. ‘Can we come in?’
She walked in carrying not just
Chloee, but 10 other adorable reborns!
‘Sit down and have a cuddle,’ Bev
said. ‘It’ll make you feel better.’
She arranged all her babies around
me and I held them close, one by one, as
tears rolled down my cheeks for Mum.
‘You look after them for a bit,’ Bev
said, putting down a bag of nappies
and clothes and heading out.
Having something to
! Katie
think about outside
my grief really
helped ease my
sorrow.
I dressed them in
pretty dresses and
Babygros, changed their
nappies.
After the funeral I
remembered Mum’s words.
You can have one with the
money I leave you…
Bev took me to see Lisa
Trapasso-Emina, who runs Lisa’s
Reborn Baby Stall at our local market.
‘I’ve come to buy one of your
babies,’ I beamed.
I looked at the rows of little faces
and my eyes settled on a tiny boy in
a blue babygro and little cotton hat.
I picked him up and cradled him
tenderly.
‘Feels nice, doesn’t it?’ Bev smiled.
‘I’ll take him,’ I whispered.
I handed over £180 and Lisa
wrapped him in a blanket.
‘You’re his mum now,’ she said.
A mum at last.
I bought a little white pram suit and
blue baby jacket and set off for home.
It felt like leaving hospital with a
newborn.
‘I’m calling him Shaun,’ I told Bev.
That night I laid Shaun beside me
on the bed and fell asleep, feeling
relaxed for the first time in years.
The babies brought me and Bev
closer.
introduced
He even
met the
big fella
himself
‘It’s great to
be with someone who gets it,’ she said
as we strolled through the streets
cuddling our babies and getting
weird stares from strangers.
When Bev needed somewhere to
live in October 2019 she moved in
with me.
And of course, the babies came
too.
Bev had 11.
Soon the shops were filling up with
Christmas decorations and Santa’s
grottos sprung up all over town.
I’d always felt a bit jealous of
The reborns helped
ease my sorrow
mums who took their kids to see
Father Christmas.
It got me thinking...
Could I take Shaun to see Santa?
Why not?
In December I dressed Shaun in
the little red outfit Bev had crocheted
for him.
Then we set off for the grotto in the
market.
When we entered, Santa looked
at me.
Then his beady eyes slid to Shaun.
‘Who have we here?’ he asked.
‘Shaun,’ I explained. ‘He’s a reborn
baby.’
‘Ho! Ho! Ho!’ Santa boomed,
taking Shaun on to his
I had
my hand
s name too, so legally changed
full with
this lot!
As told to Sharon Wright &
Ann Cusack (stories@realpeoplemag.co.uk)
me to the
cute dolls
knee. ‘And what would
Shaun like for Christmas?’
‘He’d love some toy cars,’
I blushed.
Santa treated us just like any
other little family.
‘He’s the best behaved boy we’ve
had here today,’ he winked.
I couldn’t help smiling. This was
what Christmas should feel like.
All the elves gathered round to
take a look at Shaun.
‘He’s adorable!’ one cooed.
I felt so proud.
‘Thank you, Santa,’ I said as we
waved goodbye.
Then me and Bev went shopping.
It was my first Christmas without
Mum so I threw myself into making
it all about the reborns.
Me and Bev wrapped up little
teddies and toys and put them under
the tree.
I was as excited as when I was a kid.
When Christmas was happy.
Crimbo morning dawned and we
sat under the tree in our pyjamas.
We unwrapped each baby’s gift
for them.
It took ages.
No wonder, really, when we’d
spent £1,000 on cars, dollies,
comforters, new outfits for Shaun,
Chloee and all their siblings.
Next we dressed each one up in
his or her new Christmas outfit.
It took about two hours and we
loved every minute.
I soon started collecting
more dolls, saving up for
them or using payment
plans. I’m
By March 2020, me thankful
and Bev had 55 reborns for m
between us. family
We felt like a family.
‘It would be nice to all
have the same name,’
Bev mused.
‘Good idea,’ I agreed.
She wanted a new first
her name to being Katie
Wynne – taking my surname.
On 12
April
2021, I lost my
balance and fell in
the bathroom.
Katie found
me on the floor.
‘What happened?’ she
gasped, pressing the alarm
button in our sheltered flat.
Before I knew it, I was being
bundled towards the door and
into an ambulance.
‘I’m not going without
a baby,’ I gasped.
I grabbed the nearest
reborn, called Dominic.
At Whiston Hospital they hooked
me up to a heart monitor.
‘You’ll die if you don’t have a
pacemaker fitted,’ the consultant
explained. My pulse rate had
decreased alarmingly and my heart
wasn’t pumping blood properly.
Stunned, I clutched Dominic to me.
‘I’ve left the babies to you in my
will,’ I blurted, calling Katie.
I had the op.
Miraculously, I recovered.
Recuperating, I surfed the net for
more reborns.
Something stopped me in my
tracks...
A doll with red hair and the most
realistic face I’d ever seen.
It was called a Realborn and was
made using a scan of a real baby.
When I arrived home from
hospital, ‘I’ve ordered you a present,’
I told Katie, showing her a photo.
Her whole face lit up. Now I can’t
wait to give it to her for Christmas.
Having nearly left my family
behind this year, it’ll be extra special.
We’ve gone a bit mad again on
present shopping for the babies.
The house is full of Moses baskets,
prams, car seats, bouncy seats and
clothes for our 56 dolls.
We must have spent thousands.
But they’re worth it.
I know some will think it strange
but after feeling so alone, my reborn
brood has given me a family to spend
Christmas with.
And isn’t that what it’s all about?
Tracy Tobias-Wynne, 55,
Liverpool
2 L 455
PEOPL
 DIABOLICAL
P LE
L
£ 1 5 0!
Xmas No. 1 artists… These are hidden in the usual way, except for one. Enter this prize answer on p43.

B W R B Y W I O Q V D L O F F A C S H U E V I T ATWELL
BAILEY
E N N D E A S O Q H W H L L R C W N R C D B I H BAND AID
L C L R K R P K M P O V F S A A M I C Y G E E I BEATLES
BELAFONTE
A L D E R D I G P U O Q F M T L D J L S G N I W BURKE
F S Y S U F Y E S F I Y I H Y U P R E S L E Y E CARDLE
EDMUNDS
O T O D T P E T S H O P B O Y S F W A N O U H Q FLYING PICKETS
N E L N S E O T A T O P T S A O R F N H M N A O FORD
GIRLS ALOUD
T V F U H N F A C S N A K C Y K E S I Y C Q B V HAENOW
HOUSTON
E E K M D E E I P H N O S M O N D B K N E I P I
HUMAN LEAGUE
P N N D E B L I O E G T P D K S A N S N G W R L JACKSON
JONES
K S I E U C C D R D E G B I U I I M A R T I N O
LEWIS
M F P R M E U D R K D K D I L O K W A U G S G J MARTINO
MR BLOBBY
I W K J G W N A C A D K H E C H L H E T M F U Y
OSMOND
J E I I Q A O I S I C U Y D J Y C A A L L Q B K PET SHOP BOYS
PINK FLOYD
B A R L E S P R A Y M W O I D A Q E S C O B E J PRESLEY
N L C E L G E D L A R W F U K Q A N S L O C V S QUEEN
RENEE AND RENATO
S U N K N I N A N C N R E R P B E O S L R S P E RICHARD
N E B I S A A L B A E S E S U U W W B H E I W L SCAFFOLD
SPICE GIRLS
R J Y S B O E M M B E P D B T Q W R L N M K G T STEVENS
M L S T R A N U S W U R Y O N L M R O N Q B L A TWITTY
VALENTINE
F W Q V G P U Q H D Q O J L A A I J P Q U C V E WARD
Y D F U T F Y B K W R U Q H S F R F P S H K W B WESTLIFE
WILLIAMS
L L E W T A R W F K B T E B J L U C E E W Q L L WILSON
T I W T V S T V A L E N T I N E W F WINGS

ND... We’ve hidden extra words in the grid above.

But to make it fiendishly tricky, we’re only
4 3
going to give you a theme. This week: XMAS DINNER 2 4
ITEMS . To find out how many of them you have to
look for, you have to solve the mini sudoku on the 6 5

ELL OF IT!
right. The number in the yellow box
PICTURES: BIGSTOCK

is your target… mwah, ha, ha, ha, ha! 5 1 6 2

2 1 5
PS We’re not complete devils! If you want to know what the mystery words are, see Solutions on p35.
3

Enter online at realpeoplemag.co.uk

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