Author: Charlotte

Content specialist, journalist and freelance copywriter.

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Real Life

Scarred for life after Valentine’s Day spring rolls catastrophe

Mercedes was looking forward to spending Valentine’s Day with her new boyfriend, Simon. In fact, she was intending to rustle up her speciality dish of pork and cabbage spring rolls. But as she drizzled oil into the pan, it set alight. As the flames soared, Mercedes ran towards the kitchen door – tripping her cat, Turbo, and flinging the scorching oil all over herself. After being rushed to hospital in an ambulance, Mercedes underwent several painful skin grafts and is now scarred for life. Hoping to use her story to inspire other women, Mercedes says that she and Simon are still very much in love but will definitely be getting a takeaway this year.

Her story was published in Pick Me Up.

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Real Life

My Turkish love rat’s secret hotel romps

As soon as Sara laid eyes on hunky Hasan during a safari tour, she was smitten. She quickly moved over to Turkey with her daughter, and she and Hasan married in a beautiful ceremony and had a son together. But flirty Hasan always had an eye for the ladies and Sara couldn’t shake off the suspicion that her hunk in trunks was giving someone else an eyeful. Then one day, she was devastated to discover saucy messages between Hasan and another woman, who was begging to ‘meet up at the hotel again’. Humiliated and betrayed, Sara told Hasan she was leaving and packed her bags and moved her children back to the UK. The now-single Lothario strenuously denies Sara’s cheating allegations and when approached stated: “None of this is true. Sara is crazy when she’s had a drink.”

Sara shared her story in Take a Break.

 

 

 

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Real Life

I snared my paedophile babysitter with Facebook message

Some of Olwen Owen’s first memories are of her depraved cousin, Christopher De Maria, sexually abusing her. The paedophile was trusted to babysit Olwen, but instead abused her secretly throughout her childhood. After concealing her torment for almost 20 years, Olwen was horrified to discover that Christopher had children of his own and set about bringing him to justice. Cleverly capturing his confession in a Facebook message, she reported him to the police and he was jailed for seven-and-a-half years last July.

Read her amazing story in today’s Sun here.

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Real Life

My hubby was stabbed to death…at my dad’s funeral

Donna was devastated when her stepfather died, but she was dealt a double-blow when her beloved husband was stabbed to death while they attended the funeral. Describing Peter as her ‘soul mate’, Donna told Woman’s Own how she is coping after losing the most important person in her life and why she won’t let his evil killer, Johnny Nicholles, spoil her cherished memories of Peter.

 

 

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Real Life

I snared my sick sex abuser on Facebook

Brave Olwen, 30, was abused by her sick cousin Christopher, 37, who had been trusted to babysit her as a child. After keeping his dark secret for almost 20 years, she was shocked into going to the police after discovering he had a family of his own. Unable to bear the idea of him abusing anyone else, she reported his sick crimes – cleverly getting him to admit his guilt in a Facebook message. With the help of the message, Christopher was convicted of abusing Olwen and was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison in July last year.

Olwen’s inspiring story is in this week’s Pick Me Up.

 

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Real Life

Son’s allergic reaction almost burnt him alive

Little Declan Bitmead-Ellis was left fighting for his life after a one-in-a-million allergic reaction to tonsillitis medication led him to develop the deadly condition, TEN (toxic epidermal necrolysis). Mum Ashleigh watched in horror as his skin burned from the inside and his eyes fused shut. Now recovered, the brave six-year-old is back at school but has to wear special sunglasses to protect his eyes from the sun.

Proud Ashleigh shared Declan’s story in Pick Me Up.

 

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Real Life

£6K dental bill after violent ex punched out my teeth

 

When Shannon Surch left her ex-boyfriend, Jamie Boughton, he didn’t take it well – instead punching out her teeth. He was jailed for 18 months for the disgusting attack earlier this year, but Shannon is now facing a £6.6K dental bill to replace her teeth.

Her shocking story is in this week’s Pick Me Up.

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Real Life

My son is the real-life Pinocchio!

 

Ollie Trezise is a happy little boy who loves splashing in his paddling pool and playing with his big sister. But there’s something very special about him…he was born with an encephalocele, which meant that his brain grew through his nose! As a result, when the adorable tot grew, so did his nose – just like the Disney character, Pinocchio.

Proud mum Amy Poole shared her story in this week’s Chat magazine to help parents of other children with visible disfigurements. She’s been at the receiving end of cruel comments from strangers about Ollie’s appearance but says she wouldn’t change him for the world.

If you’ve ever been taunted because of your appearance, organisations like Changing Faces can help.

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Real Life

So anorexic that Mum planned my funeral

 

As soon as Niamh Wynne learned about calories in her biology lesson at school, she began limiting her intake. Over two years, the now 18-year-old lost a dangerous 7st 6lb and developed anorexia. Things got so bad that mum Ann planned her funeral. Now fully recovered, Niamh is sharing her story to raise awareness for girls suffering from eating disorders.

As seen in the Sun.

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Real Life

Grandma chatted up by toyboys after losing 12 stone

 

Grandma-of-one Paula Howson was once called a ‘fat cow’ by men, but after losing 12st she gets chatted up by guys half her age! Luckily hubby Peter can laugh it off and says he’s proud to have such a stunning wife.

As seen in the Daily Star and Mail Online.