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My 10-year-old son Odhran kicks up a rust-coloured cloud of dust as he races over the rim of a giant crater, towards a space rover and what looks to be a small alien craft. This is the foreground of Station Cosmos - a four-star hotel with a space outpost aesthetic. It's like a Mars-based movie set, and at night, the dramatic lighting adds to the world-building. We haven't even entered Futuroscope's main theme park area and we already feel transported to another planet.

Located in Chasseneuil-du-Poitou and around a 20-minute drive from Poitiers Airport, Futuroscope's rural positioning perfectly complements its otherworldly aesthetic, as the park's ultra-modern architecture becomes a focal point on the flat landscape.

A short walk and we're standing for the obligatory photo by the entrance sign. Then it's through the turnstiles and the difficult decision of which attraction to visit first. Futuristic architecture obscures the rides inside. Unlike most theme parks, where you can see on arrival what each attraction entails, at Futuroscope you're met with a sci-fi landscape of glass, steel and geometric shapes - adding to the sense of intrigue.

The rides and attractions

There are more than 40 attractions at Futuroscope but only two of these are rollercoasters. Objectif Mars (or Destination Mars) is a family rollercoaster with a minimum height of 1.1m to ride accompanied by an adult. The concept of this indoor/outdoor ride is that the rider is on a rigorous astronaut training programme. We loved the immersive element to this ride with the on-screen robots and special effects. Then there was the thrill of being launched along the track in spinning carriages, before a surprise vertical drop.

Then there's Mission Bermudes - a hybrid water rollercoaster. This is another family-friendly ride with a minimum height of 1.05m to ride accompanied by an adult. This ride takes you on an exciting rescue mission. The language barrier meant we couldn't fully understand the story but this didn't make it any less enjoyable. It's a really clever design with parts of the track submerged in the water so you can't always tell which way you're going or what's coming next. Rapids, a whirlpool and a vertical lift before a 15 metre plunge, make this a really engaging and thrilling ride.

But what's unique about Futuroscope as a theme park is that it's not all about rollercoasters. Instead, it combines science with cinema, simulators, and immersive experiences. Tornado Chasers is a multi-award-winning ride, placing you at the heart of a storm. Watch the action unfold on the world's largest indoor LED surround screen, while the 120-person platform rises, falls tilts and spins, sweeping you away in a whirlwind experience. Another highlight is Dances with Robots, where you climb aboard a nine-metre-high robot and get spun around and upside down to the synchronised sound of DJ beats. This was the busiest ride during our visit. Expect average queue times between 25-45 minutes, but it can be longer during the summer and French school holiday dates.

Futuroscope offers fun 3D and 4D attractions, including a 'flying theatre' experience (a bit like Flight of the Sky Lion for anyone who has been to LEGOLAND Windsor) and we loved the humorous train ride through different periods in time with the mischievous Raving Rabbids (gibberish speaking rabbits with mannerisms like the Minions). We couldn't resist purchasing a souvenir rabbit plushie from one of the gift shops.

Alongside the bigger rides, Odhran enjoyed some the simpler attractions and mechanical designs, such as The Centrifuge - where you harness yourself into a circular carriage that you can then operate to swing yourself frontwards, backwards and upside down, and The Pendulum - another self-operated ride, where a two-person carriage is hauled to the top of a V-shaped track and released, using gravity to then swing you back and forth like a pendulum.

Futuroscope is full of unique attractions and every corner you turn, you stumble upon something unexpected. We had a laugh in the Upside Down House, a gravity-defying walk-through attraction.

There were school trips at the theme park during our visit, as it's a fun way to teach kids about science and technology. They can learn about motion and forces, physics and outer space. But there's also a lot about Earth and our ecosystems, and one of my favourite attractions was Antarctica, which highlights how this continent plays a vital role for the planet. It's shown in IMAX Laser 4k technology for a fully immersive experience. Bring headphones so you can listen to it in English, narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch. You'll need to download the free ListenWIFI app before your visit and connect to the wifi for this particular attraction (not the general Futuroscope wifi).

Food and drink

Futuroscope is all about theatre, immersive experiences and optical illusions, and the dining experiences live up to the theming. We visited Space Loop rollercoaster restaurant. After ordering our food and drinks on tabletop touchscreens, we watched it whizz along tracks and down spiral rails before arriving at our table. I couldn't resist the unique blue burger offering.

At L'Atelier des Saveurs, we enjoyed table service, while surrounded by unusual props related to attractions around the park, such as print of Mona Lisa with a bunny rabbit head, and an astronaut on arrival. There was music from a virtual band, and dessert was a solar system of ice-cream and sorbets or a chocolate sphere served with a theatrical dry ice effect.

I'd recommend an apéritif at Le Bar des Pilotes (The Pilot's Bar) at the space-themed Station Cosmos Hotel. Odhran loved all the Star Wars props in this lounge bar, and there's a terrace with a spacecraft for photo opportunities. Again, there was great attention to theming and my rum-based cocktail came served in a test tube.

Accommodation

We stayed at Hôtel Ecolodgee, a short walk from the theme park entrance. This is a nature-themed village of wooden lodges overlooking a large pond. Our lodge had a double bed and separate kids area with two single beds. The bathroom had a large shower and basic toiletries. There was a hair dryer but frustratingly the plug didn't fit the socket. Towel and bed linen were provided, but there was no mini-fridge if you wanted to keep anything cool. There was no kettle with teas/coffee, but bottled water was provided. Also, there was wifi but no air con (though we didn't need this during our early June visit).

Each lodge has its own little terrace, where you can sit and eat your breakfast, which is delivered every morning in a basket. Our basket contained a flask of hot chocolate (or you could choose tea or coffee), a glass bottle of fresh orange juice, mini ciabattas with strawberry and apricot jam, a pain au chocolat for me, a ham and cheese sandwich for Odhran, yoghurt and jars of pureed fruit.

Our lodge was right by the water, and we loved spotting the ducks waddling round outside. But the biggest thrill was the frogs! While they made quite a racket at night (I think it must have been mating season), Odhran loved pushing the reeds apart and counting how many frogs he could find. There were loads, from well-camouflaged dark brown ones to a bright green variety. Both mornings before we left Ecolodgee and on the evenings when we returned, Odhran was frog-spotting by the pond.

How do I get to Futuroscope?

Ryanair operates direct flights from London Stansted to Poitiers. The flight is approximately 1hr 30mins. From Poitiers it's a 20 minute taxi ride to Futuroscope.

How much does it cost?

Prices for a family of four start from £774 for two nights stay at Hotel Ecolodgee and three days at Futuroscope. This includes tickets for Aquascope. Book here or find out more here

Beatrice was sure a strange mark on her foot was only a verruca, but was it something more sinister?

Waking up, I felt sick as a dog yet again.

‘I’m sure 
it’s twins,’ I called to my husband Paul from the bathroom.
I was only four weeks pregnant, but the morning sickness seemed extreme.
At the eight-week scan, 
the sonographer confirmed 
my suspicion.
Paul was knocked sideways, but we were happy.
At the start of my second trimester, my bump growing, I bent down to pull on my socks when I noticed something on my right foot, near the heel.
‘Do you think this is a verruca?’ I asked Paul.
‘Maybe,’ he replied. ‘It might be worth getting checked out.’
I decided to go to the chemist’s.
‘How do I safely treat it during pregnancy?’ I asked 
the pharmacist.
‘If it’s not hurting you, it’ll probably go away on its 
own,’ he replied.
Reassured, I put it to the back of my mind.
In time, I gave birth to our twins, Thomas and Alfred, and settled into family life.
One day, when they were 
15 months old, I laced up my trainers and went for a jog.
I’d loved running before, and wanted to get back into it.
But when I got home, I saw the verruca was bleeding.
It must have rubbed against my trainers, I thought.
Then I noticed it was 
double the size it used to 
be. It had grown to the size 
of a five-pence piece.
‘You should really get it checked out,’ Paul said.
‘It’s fine,’ I told him.
When I went for a pedicure, 
I felt embarrassed to get my right foot out and gave the 
nail technician a sheepish look.
‘Don’t worry, it’s 
not a verruca,’ I said, not wanting to be turned away.
‘Yeah that’s 
definitely not a verruca,’ she replied.
Her tone made me stop in my tracks.
I knew then I had to go to the GP.
He referred me to a dermatologist, who took a biopsy.
And while I waited for the results, I looked up my symptoms online.
A mark that grows 
in size, is uneven in shape 
and bleeds…
To my horror, I realised it had all the signs of melanoma, a form of skin cancer.
I was so overcome with anxiety, I went to speak to my GP about my mental health. But he dealt me a shocking blow.
‘I have the results of your biopsy here,’ he began. ‘I’m afraid it is melanoma.’

I burst into tears.
What if I’ve left it too late to be treated? I thought.
When I shakily left the GP’s surgery, I bumped into Paul and the boys.
‘It’s cancer,’ I whispered.
That night, I tossed and turned, worrying my boys would grow up without me.
A week later, I had a clinic appointment for surgery to remove the rest of the tumour.
Then I had more tests.
‘The good news is that it hasn’t spread to your organs,’ the oncologist explained. ‘But it has already spread to your lymph nodes.’
I was quickly put on a course of targeted therapy, with a combination of drugs
to take every day.
There was no guarantee it would work, and I was terrified I wouldn’t survive.
Thankfully, after a long year of treatment, my doctor gave 
us the news we’d been 
praying for.
‘The drugs have worked 
well and you’re in remission,’ he said.
A huge weight was lifted from my shoulders.
Now it’s been 18 months since I finished treatment, and I’m doing well.
I’m one of the lucky ones, but I wish I’d got it checked sooner.
I want to tell anyone who is concerned about something unusual on their body to please see your GP.
It might be nothing 
– but it could also 
save your life.

By Beatrice Buckley, 40, of Reading, Berkshire

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When Matt ran an errand to the post office with his little girl, they were suddenly in the jaws of despair…

I held out my hand and my little girl wrapped her fingers around mine.

‘See you soon,’ I smiled to my wife, Debs, as we headed out the door.
It was the school holidays and I was taking our daughter Lydia, six, to the post office with me to send a letter.
It was only down the road and as we walked, Lydia chatted away.
Around halfway there, I noticed a large, caramel-coloured dog standing on a drive.
Suddenly, it started walking purposefully towards us.
I expected its owner to be nearby but as I scanned the area, I couldn’t see anyone.
‘Whose dog is this?’ I called out, loudly.
I looked around again but within seconds, the dog had reached us.
In the blink of an eye it lunged at Lydia. In horror 
I watched as its powerful jaw latched on to her arm.
I tried to grab the animal and pull it off my little girl.
But the dog lunged at her again, biting her a second, and third time.
Her screams pierced the air.
I tried to get in the dog’s 
way, but it wasn’t interested in 
me – just my terrified girl.
Desperate to stop the dog mauling her, I pushed my full weight on top 
of it.

'Look what your dog's done!'

I shouted out for the owner, as I wrestled with the remarkably strong hound, that looked like a bulldog only bigger.
Blood poured from Lydia’s wounds as I tried to comfort 
her too.
Eventually, the owner rushed out and called the dog inside, before heading back into the house.
The whole episode must have lasted only two minutes, but it felt so much longer.
An off-duty police officer 
saw the commotion and stopped to help.
She banged on the neighbour’s door until they came out again.
‘Look what your dog’s done!’ I yelled, as Lydia cried.
The owner looked upset and I heard her say the words, ‘XL bully’.
That’s when the penny dropped…
Lydia had been set upon by a dangerous dog and a ban on owning them had recently come into force.
I remembered reading awful stories in the press about how the muscular dogs had been responsible for fatal attacks.
This is not good, I thought.
The owner explained the hound had escaped from the back garden through a side gate.

The off-duty officer, Lauren, was so helpful and recorded 
an interview with the owner on her phone.
Then she ran us home, where 
I quickly told Debs what’d happened.
Her eyes widened with shock as she saw Lydia’s injuries.

‘I’ve got to get her to hospital,’ I fretted.
‘Keep me posted on everything,’ she replied.
She had to stay home with our little boy, Asher.
Thankfully, once doctors checked Lydia’s puncture wounds and cleaned them, she calmed down.
The dog had latched on to her left upper arm, and it was covered in bites and scratches.
Her forearm was in a strange shape and badly bruised, but luckily, it wasn’t broken.
Meanwhile, Lauren had called the police and an officer took 
a statement while we were at 
the hospital.
The officer said they’d gone to the owner’s home and found the XL bully wasn’t registered, had been without a muzzle and was off its lead.

Police told me the dog would be destroyed that same day.
The XL bully’s owner was charged with allowing her dog to be dangerously out of control in public.
After Lydia’s injuries were dressed, we were discharged with antibiotics for her to take.
But although the scars would heal, I was worried about the emotional impact on Lydia.
We’d been proactive in the past and helped her to interact with dogs so she’d feel comfortable around them.
But after the attack, I was concerned she’d develop a fear.
‘The dog that bit you was a bad dog,’ I explained. ‘But not all dogs are bad.’
She nodded.
It had been a horrendous ordeal, but I was relieved it wasn’t worse.
She could have been killed.
The scenario kept me awake 
at night, replaying in my mind.

'Not all dogs are bad'

The days and weeks that followed were tough for our family.
Lydia would scream every time her bandages needed changing.
We went on holiday to France and when she saw a dog, she jumped right into my arms.
Only, as time went on, although she was still wary, she got more used to them.
As long as they were on a lead, she stayed calm.
‘I still like little dogs,’ Lydia smiled.
‘But I don’t like dogs that look like the one that bit me,’ she added with a frown.
I found myself being ultra-cautious about dog owners too.
It’d never bothered me before, but now I hated seeing pets off their leads in public places.
Six months later, police told us the owner was given a 26-week suspended prison sentence, a 12-month community order and disqualified from keeping dogs for five years.
By then, Debs and I had forgiven the owner and our anger had faded.
‘She made a mistake and will have learned her lesson,’ I said to Debs.
But it left me with one burning question – why would anyone want to own one of those dogs?

One day, I was reading a BBC story online about another XL bully attack.
I tapped out a comment.
This happened to me and my daughter, too, I wrote.
Shortly after that, a journalist contacted me and offered me the chance to meet an XL bully owner, to get some answers.
So, I met Lily and her partner, along with their two-year-old XL bully, Doug, at a secure field near their home.
After getting out of the car, I felt nervous as I caught sight of the dog.

It took me right back to the day of the attack.
A chain-link fence separated us, but their rescue dog was well trained.
Still I kept thinking about my little girl, scared and bleeding.
We carried on talking and I felt happy to go inside the field, as long as Doug was muzzled.
‘I feel awful asking you to keep your pet away from me,’ I told Lily, feeling tense.
She was keen for me to see another side of XL bullies.
‘I firmly believe 
a dog’s behaviour is dependent on how it was brought up and trained,’ she said. ‘These dogs need 
so much mental stimulation, they are not easy dogs to own.’
After spending time with them, I found I had a lot of respect for Lily and her partner.
They’d done everything they could for Doug.
It was the people who owned these strong breeds to intimidate others, but didn’t take on the rest of the hard work, that were the issue.
‘These dogs are so powerful,’ Lily explained. ‘They’re so big and if you push them to be this big monster, then it can happen.’
‘You’ve saved him from falling into the wrong hands,’ I replied.
The XL bully ban came into force nearly two years ago, yet 
it hasn’t stopped these attacks from happening.
I believe all owners of this breed should have a licence, to prove they’ve carried out the correct training – like Lily has.
Lydia is seven now, and her scars have healed well but she still has anxiety around large dogs.
I think back to that day often.
All I’d wanted was to take my girl for a walk.
But we were plunged into the jaws of a monster.

Matt Fairhead, 33, Wirral, Merseyside

2026 Answers

Issue 01 2026: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Hexagonal

Issue 02 2026: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Fragrant

Issue 03 2026: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Perilous

Issue 04 2026: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Astrology

Issue 05 2026: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Delighted

2025 Answers

Issue 01 2025: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Fantasy

Issue 02 2025: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Appendix

Issue 03 2025: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Flattery

Issue 04 2025: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Mixture

Issue 05 2025: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Express

Issue 06 2025: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Crystal

Issue 07 2025: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Anecdote

Issue 08 2025: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Mythology

Issue 09 2025: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Ceremony

Issue 10 2025: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Motivating

Issue 11 2025: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Perfume

Issue 12 2025: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Bejewel

When tragedy struck my family, a holiday game became the perfect way to keep my daughter’s memory alive. By Sam Legg, 39

Dear Sydney,

From the moment you arrived, we knew you’d be the life and soul of the party because you instantly stole the spotlight from your dad and nan after being born on their shared birthday.

Holding you in my arms, I laughed and said, ‘Looks like we’re going to need a bigger cake each year!’

As you grew, your confident personality shone through – and even from a dot you were grown up beyond your years!

On your first day at preschool, you said to your teacher, ‘Shall I help you line all the kids up, and get them to the toilet?’
You were still in a nappy yourself but it didn’t stop you wanting to help.
Your dad Jeff and I later split, but he always remained in your life and we always got on.
Eventually, I met your stepdad Matt and when baby Ivy arrived, you took to being a big sister instantly.
Like all siblings, you bickered, but you were always quick to make up.
‘Come to my room and 
we can watch a film,’ you’d say, poking your head into her room.
When Matt and I took you and Ivy on cruise ships for holidays, you were excited to discover people often hid rubber ducks around them for other passengers to find.
You quickly made a game of seeing how many you could spot.
Music was a big part of your life and whenever we went anywhere in the car, we’d end up singing along 
to something at the top of 
our voices.
‘Mum, can we put Shania Twain on?’ you’d ask.
You had such an incredibly varied taste in music – you were never stumped for choices. We’d singalong to anything from Green Day, Wheatus and Avril Lavigne to Dean Martin and Tom Jones. You never missed a word and never skipped a beat.

But at 10, after you lost a lot of weight over a short period of time and couldn’t stop drinking water, you were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
At first, I felt devastated but you took it in your stride, making sure you looked after yourself and educated others about your condition.
‘My pancreas doesn’t quite work as it should, so I use insulin,’ you’d explain.
Rather than injecting yourself, you had a pump fitted which delivered insulin continuously to your body.
And you never let it stop you doing anything, always living your life to the fullest.
When your cousin took you to see Green Day, she said you were belting out every lyric.
And after we took you and Ivy to the local dry ski slope, you made a decision.
‘I want to be a snowboarding instructor,’ you told me.

'Syd is such a big help'

We began to look into snowboarding courses in Austria for you after you finished your GCSEs.
It was something to look forward to and in the meantime, you juggled your studies with a part-time job in a local café.
‘Your Syd is such a big help,’ your boss told me one day. ‘She’s not afraid to get stuck in, and the customers love her.’
I’d never felt prouder.
Everyone in our home town of Fordingbridge, Hampshire, knew and recognised you. I always let you dye your hair, and its ever-changing colour became your signature style.
After your exams, you went to stay with your dad in Guernsey for a few weeks.
‘Mum, can I come off my pump for a bit and go back to daily injections?’ you asked me before you left.
‘I’d rather you stayed on your pump,’ I said.

But I knew that I had to let you make the decision for yourself.
Only a week later, your dad called and said, ‘Syd’s had a seizure. We’re in hospital.’
You’d never had one before, but doctors said it wasn’t linked to your diabetes.
Worried, when you arrived home, I pushed for an MRI scan, but was told you didn’t need one.
Then one morning, weeks later, I went in to wake you and found you face down on the floor.
Knowing you like to pull pranks, I said, ‘Come on, Syd. Up you get.’
But when I prodded you with my foot, you leapt up screaming, completely delirious.
Panicking, I realised you’d just come round from another seizure, so I emailed the doctor and asked for an MRI again.
‘She had a seizure five weeks ago too,’ I told the doctor.

However, he referred you to the epilepsy clinic instead.
‘In the meantime, be careful when bathing and swimming,’ he warned.
While we waited for an appointment to come through, life carried on as normal.
A few weeks on, I woke you early so you could wash your hair. It was Halloween and my birthday, so we’d planned to celebrate later.
‘Up you get, love, we’ve got a big day ahead of us,’ I said. ‘If you don’t wash your hair now I won’t be able to do anything with it tonight.’
While you groggily got up and headed for the bathroom, I got back into bed with a cuppa, waiting for you to finish.
But after 15 minutes, I grew concerned.
‘I’ll check on her,’ Matt said. ‘I’m desperate for a wee anyway.’
But when he knocked, you didn’t respond, and panicking now, I grabbed a pair of scissors and used them to unlock the door from the outside.
The shower was still running and had flooded the bath. You were face down in the water.
‘She’s had another seizure!’ I screamed, pulling you out.
Matt called an ambulance while I started CPR.

Your gran was with us too and when your sister tried to walk in, I shouted, ‘Mum, get Ivy out of here.’
The ambulance took half an hour to come and paramedics then spent an hour trying to bring you back. But it was too late and, as you were pronounced dead, I felt my heart shatter.
Grief blurred the next weeks until we were able to hold your funeral. We kept 
it small, just me, Matt, Ivy, your dad, grandparents, your dad’s girlfriend and your half-brother.

'They look just like her'

As you loved music so much, we all picked a song each, with Green Day’s Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) as your final one.
In time, an inquest into your death found you’d died from drowning after you passed out in the shower which filled up during your seizure.
But while we had to accept you were gone, your memory had to live on.
‘Syd loved spotting rubber ducks on cruise ships,’ I said to Matt. ‘Let’s get some and have people leave them around the world on their travels.’
I started a Facebook group and it quickly took off.
People from Fordingbridge and further afield showed interest, so I ordered a whole range of rubber ducks and we set up an area in the pet food store we ran, which we called The Duck Pond.

Seeing it filled with ducks made me smile and our customers loved it too.
We created a label with a QR code so people could let us know where their duck had travelled to.
One person took his snowboarding and soon others had gone as far as Japan, China, Thailand and New Zealand. I was so thrilled, but then I had another idea.
‘Maybe we can get a duck custom-made to look like Syd,’ I said to Matt.
Before long, I had a thousand Syd ducks, with rainbow hair like yours, ready to give away in the shop.
‘They look just like her,’ I said to Matt, as we put them on display.
Now, my darling Syd, although we miss you every day, I know you’d love the idea of people taking you on their travels with them, and leaving a piece of you in all corners of the globe.
This way, you’ll continue to bring the light and laughter that you brought in life everywhere you go.

Love always, Mum x

• To find out more about Sydney’s ducks, and to donate, visit gofundme.com and search ‘Sydney’s Memorial Travelling Ducks’ or search for ‘Sydney Jade’s Travelling Ducks’ on Facebook.

Charlea went under the knife and made a startling discovery…

Pulling my seat belt around my body, 
I looked out of the plane window, then grinned 
at my husband, Andy.

‘Excited?’ he asked.
‘Can’t wait!’ I beamed back.
We were jetting off to Turkey, but we wouldn’t be lounging by the pool sipping mojitos.
Because this wasn’t a holiday…
I was getting a tummy tuck!
I’d turned to food for comfort for years, until I’d reached 30st and decided enough was enough.
After gastric sleeve surgery to remove a large portion of my stomach, I’d shed 18 stone.
Then I’d met Andy.
But I still wasn’t 100% happy with my body.
I had lots of loose skin, so 
I took the plunge, paying £2500 to wave my saggy tum goodbye.
Once we arrived at the hospital, Andy kissed me and 
I was wheeled away to the operating theatre.
When I came back round, 
I looked down at my flat belly covered in bandages.
‘Everything went well,’ the surgeon explained. ‘But it will take several months to fully recover, and you need to wait 
at least 12 months if you want 
to try for a baby.’
That was the last thing on my mind, and for good reason.
In my 20s, I’d been diagnosed 
with polycystic ovaries, and doctors had told me it was unlikely I’d ever be able to have children.
So I’d accepted that, although I’d love to be a mum, it wouldn’t happen for me.
After I’d rested up after the operation, we flew back home.

I was thrilled when I admired the results in the mirror.
But three weeks later, as 
I pottered around the house, 
I felt a pain in my stomach.
‘Ow,’ I gasped.
I lifted up my top and my 
eyes widened.
There was green pus oozing from my new belly button.
‘Is it infected?’ I asked Andy.
‘I think so,’ he winced.
My GP referred me to hospital, where I was reassured that the infection would go away on its own, and I was sent off with a prescription for antibiotics.
But by 10 days later, my belly button looked even worse.

'Don't worry, I can't be pregnant'

Then, at work, as I looked at my laptop screen, everything went blurry and turned black.
When I next opened my eyes, 
I was in hospital surrounded 
by doctors.
‘Your belly button is badly infected, we need to do emergency surgery,’ one said.
I was asked to do a urine sample and had bloods taken while I waited to go down to 
the operating theatre.
‘Don’t worry, I can’t be pregnant, I’ve just had a tummy tuck,’ I laughed.
‘We just have to be sure,’ 
the nurse replied.
Andy stayed by my side as 
the hours dragged on.
‘I’m so hungry, I really want 
a chicken and bacon sandwich,’ 
I moaned to Andy.
I wasn’t allowed to eat before the surgery, but this was such 
an intense craving.
Weirdly, I hadn’t had a craving like that since having my gastric sleeve surgery.
Finally, the nurse came back 
to see me. She had a strange expression on her face.
She took a deep breath.
‘What’s wrong?’ I panicked.
‘We think you might be pregnant…’ she said.
My jaw dropped to the floor.
‘No, it’s impossible, that’s ridiculous!’ I gasped.

But she was insistent and showed us the blood results.
I looked at Andy with tears 
in my eyes.
‘What do we do?’ I sobbed.
I’d dreamed of this my entire life, but there was no way it was safe for me to carry a baby now.
It had only been a month since my tummy tuck surgery.
Well, that craving makes sense now, I thought.
I sent Andy out for that buttie, then the nurse came back to 
take me for an ultrasound.
The sonographer wiped cold jelly over my stomach, but the surgery from my scarring meant he couldn’t see anything.
So he tried an internal scan, which can show clearer images.
‘Do you want to see your baby on the screen?’ he asked.
‘No, I can’t look,’ I replied.

Terrified I wouldn’t be able to carry my baby safely, I couldn’t face seeing our little one.
Not if I’d be cruelly forced to say goodbye.
‘Are they even alive?’ I fretted.
‘They’re very much alive,’ the nurse smiled. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to look?’
I took a deep breath.
‘OK, I think I do,’ I nodded.
No matter what happened, this was my miracle baby.
She turned the screen to face me.
There, a small shape bounced around like a beachball in my belly.
‘Hello, baby,’ I cried, as the tears flowed.
The sonographer said I was 
13 weeks pregnant – which meant our baby had been eight weeks old when I had my tummy tuck!
Against all the odds, my baby had survived my operation.
The sonographer printed me a picture, and when I was wheeled back to the ward, Andy was by my bed, clutching the sandwich.

'We have to have this little one'

‘Here’s our baby,’ I said, showing him the scan picture.
As he looked at the image of our baby, we both burst into tears.
‘We have to have this little one,’ I begged the doctors.
Thankfully, they cautiously agreed we could go ahead with the pregnancy.
‘But it will be very risky,’ one doctor warned.
I didn’t allow myself to get 
too excited, knowing I could miscarry at any time.
Especially with the surgery on my infected belly button in just three weeks’ time.
‘I just want 
to enjoy my pregnancy, 
I don’t want 
to think about the outcome,’ 
I told Andy.
We agreed that, until we passed the 25-week mark, 
we wouldn’t buy anything for our impending arrival.
When I went under the knife again, the surgeon left an 8cm round and 4cm deep hole, which nurses came to my home to bandage each day.
But again, the wound became infected, and I was rushed back in for another emergency operation.
As I came round afterwards, I asked, ‘Can I see my baby?’

The sonographer gave 
me another ultrasound and, much to our relief, a thudding heartbeat rang out.
Despite everything my body had been though, 
my pregnancy progressed quite smoothly.
As we’d promised ourselves, when I was 25 weeks pregnant, we bought little outfits and decorated 
the nursery with cuddly toys.
It wasn’t until I was 36 weeks that I bought a pram.
Finally, I felt confident that our baby was going to come home safely.
Two weeks later, our precious baby came into the world by Caesarean.
‘It’s a boy,’ the midwife said.
But as I waited to hear my newborn son cry, there was nothing but silence.
‘He’s going to be OK,’ Andy reassured me, as doctors got to work on the baby.
My heart was in my mouth.
Seconds later, a high-pitched squeal filled the room.
Andy held up our tiny boy 
for me to see.
We called him Billy, after Andy’s grandad, who I’d always felt a connection with.
Billy was our bundle of joy.
Amazingly, after everything he’d been through, he had no health problems, and we took him home the next day.
Life quickly became filled with nappies and feeds, and I loved doting on my little boy.
Now, Billy is 15 months old, and he’s a calm but mischievous little boy.
Quite simply, he’s our miracle.
Even though my tummy tuck didn’t go to plan, I’d pick being his mum over a flat tum any day.

Charlea Carvosso, 37, 
Southend-on-Sea, Essex

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A new World Cup fan zone has opened at LEGO Store in London's Leicester Square. The fun and interactive area allows you to build a football shirt to display or to use as part of the Goalkeeper Challenge - this allows you to place your goalie shirt into position on a football station where you can move a wheel left and right to manoeuvre your goalie to stop virtual balls from going in the back of the net. There's a leaderboard for those who enjoy a bit of friendly competition!

Capture your iconic winners trophy moment in an interactive photo area, and add a LEGO design to leave your legacy on the Wall of Fame. There's also a station to scan your hand and see what LEGO minifigure football character you embody.

And of course there are dozens of World Cup LEGO sets to tempt you. My eight-year-old son Reuben spent £25 of his birthday money on this Cristiano Ronaldo Football Highlights set above, and an extra couple of quid on the additional football minifig in goal. While many kids like to build sets for display, Reuben and his 10-year-old brother Odhran love to play with their builds so they often get taken apart and put back together with additions from other sets. While he's not that into football, Odhran lets his imagination run wild and I've witnessed Cristiano Ronaldo in battle against Star Wars and Marvel minifigs. If your child isn't into football, LEGO Store Leicester Square still has loads to capture their attention. It's more than a store, it's a London attraction.

We can't walk through Leicester Square without the boys dragging us into LEGO Store. It's two huge floors of heaven for Odhran, and I'm not ashamed to admit that on several occasions, I've used it as a form of bribery - do this, that or the other and I might take you to LEGO Store at the weekend. The boys love to wander round, drawing up wish lists for birthdays and Christmas. If you are making a large purchase it's worth signing up to LEGO Insiders, where you'll earn rewards, such as money off a future purchase. Also, if you purchase a high value item from LEGO Store of LEGO online, you often get a free gift with purchase. The staff are passionate and incredibly knowledgeable about everything LEGO, and Odhran loves to geek out with them about the play features on certain builds, retiring sets and upcoming releases.

Visitors can gaze up in wonder at the 21ft tall Big Ben (or more accurately Elizabeth Tower) replica, built from more than 344,000 bricks, perch on a bench next to Shakespeare in minifig form as you wait to board a red double decker London bus (made out of more than 270,000 LEGO bricks), or hop behind the wheel of a LEGO replica of James Bond's Aston Martin.

Harry Potter fans are in for a real treat, as there are loads of photo opportunities with scenes and character builds. Meanwhile, Marvel fans can spot the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man swinging from the ceiling.

Alongside the remarkable builds and selfie opportunities, LEGO Store Leicester Square has demonstration tables, a section where the boys love to spend ages building different minifigures, a Minifigure Factory, where you can design, build and purchase your own unique minifigure, and a Mosaic Maker area, where your photo is taken and turned into a one-of-a-kind LEGO mosaic.

As a flagship store, the Leicester Square branch hosts Make & Take sessions, where children are invited to create small models that they can then take home free of charge. This weekend, LEGO Store Leicester Square is hosting 'Build a coffee cup and take it home with you' sessions, 10:00 - 12:00 on Saturday 20th June, and 12:00 - 14:00 on Sunday 21st June. As these kind of events are regular, it's always worth checking the website to see what's coming up next. There's a store locator section on lego.com, where you can check out what's going on at a store near you. Also, it's worth keeping an eye on what activities your local Smyths toy store has lined up, as the boys have on occasion been lucky to pick up a free LEGO polybag during certain in-store events. And did you know that you can get a FREE LEGO magazine for kids? It's a printed magazine for kids aged 5-9 and it's sent to your home four times a year, completely free of charge. Visit lego.com, select 'Discover' from the top bar, select 'Our magazines' from the scroll down, and then 'LEGO Magazine (FREE)' to register your details.

Stuck indoors, 
I started baking, but no one was eating it except me. By Shirley Salter, 66

Filled with anticipation, 
I took the cake tins 
out of the oven and, 
for a moment, the sight lifted my heart.

My lemon drizzle glistened golden brown, and my coffee and walnut traybake had a beautiful caramel sheen.
All that was needed was 
a quick glaze and they’d be perfect for when my guests came over.
Except my guests only 
ever had one slice at most.
Then I ate the rest.
I’d started baking after giving up my hobby of horse riding when my husband, Kevin, was diagnosed with cancer.
He needed chemotherapy and I knew I had to be 
there for him.
I was also a nurse working in a busy GP practice, which made it difficult to eat three healthy meals a day.
Without the exercise from riding, the pounds crept on, and my 10st 7lb, size 12 figure soon disappeared.
The stress of Kevin’s illness and the boredom of not being out and about affected my daily diet, too.
Kevin and I would wake 
up at home in Drybrook, Gloucestershire, and 
have a cup of tea in bed 
with a packet of biscuits.
Then we’d have bacon 
and eggs with toast and marmalade.
I’d eat nothing for lunch, but by dinner I’d be so hungry I couldn’t stop.
I’d cook something like 
a cottage pie and wolf it down, followed by cheese and biscuits, crisps or a 
bowl of cornflakes.
Within a year, I’d put on over four stone, and I felt depressed and lethargic.
My daily five-mile walks with our Collie-cross Mac soon dwindled to half as much, because I’d get so 
out of breath.
At 14st 10lb, I was far too heavy for my 5ft 4in frame –but, because I made my own clothes, I could pretend my dress size hadn’t changed.
But one day, I glanced at Kevin’s phone and saw a picture of myself sitting down, and all I could see were rolls of fat.
‘I feel awful,’ I said to Kevin. ‘I have no energy any more, and I really need to lose weight.’
‘I’ll support you,’ he said.
I’d lost weight years earlier with LighterLife, so I signed up again immediately.
I was assigned a fantastic mentor called Tracey, who supported me throughout 
the whole weight-loss process.
‘You can do this,’ she said.
I had four food packs a 
day, which included porridge, bars, shakes or a dinner such as a spaghetti Bolognese.
I lost 6lb in my first week, which spurred me on.
After that, I shed a steady 3lb a week, and had more energy than I’d had in years.
Within about four months, 
I was down to 10st 7lb.
I threw out all my baggy tops and tracksuit bottoms and bought myself new jeans and fitted shirts.
Now I’m back to taking Mac for long walks, and I’m better at looking after Kevin, whose health is now stable.
And I’m still making my own clothes – only now with far less material!

Kelly has spent a fur-tune bringing her beloved pet back from the dead…

Cuddling my kitten Chai, 
I whispered into her fur.

‘I promise you’ll make it through,’ I said.
Chai was a cream coloured Ragdoll kitty 
I’d adopted from a breeder I found online.
I was only 21 and hadn’t known the red flags to look out for.
But when I’d brought Chai home, I quickly noticed she was weak, sickly and barely eating.
A trip to the vets revealed she had five different bacterial and viral illnesses.
An animal-lover, I threw myself into nursing her back to health.
I often stayed up with her through the night, administering her medication and keeping her company.
Thankfully, by the time she was five months old, she showed signs of recovering.
Chai’s illness meant she hadn’t been fully socialised, so she had a reserved temperament around other people and animals.
But the two of us had an incredibly strong bond.
Whenever I was going through a tough time, she would pad 
up behind me and curl against my back.
It was as if she knew how I felt.
When she was three, I started posting photos of her on Instagram.
She’s absolutely stunning, wrote one commentor. What 
a gorgeous cat!
And I had to agree!

By the time Chai was five, her account had 80,000 followers.
One evening, I was making dinner, when my roommate 
came home from her job as a veterinary nurse.
‘I’ve just found out something crazy at work,’ she said. ‘There’s this place called ViaGen where you can clone your pets when they die!’
‘That’s wild,’ I said. ‘I had no idea they could do that.’
‘Apparently loads of celebrities have cloned pets,’ she replied.
It was fascinating, but I didn’t think any more about it.
I had a hen party coming up the following week in another city, and 
my flatmate was also going to be 
out of town.
So, I organised for a pet-sitter to come and look after Chai, 
my other cat and my service 
dog, Ghost.
When I returned, Chai seemed fine. But over the next few days she became increasingly lethargic and stopped eating.
Concerned, I made an appointment to see the vet.
‘It looks as if she’s swallowed 
a plastic meat wrapper,’ she told me. ‘We’ll have to perform surgery to remove it.’
‘Is she going to be all right?’ I asked, horrified.
I couldn’t stand the thought of 
Chai surviving her early illness only 
to die now.
‘We’ll do our best,’ she promised.
To my relief, she pulled through, and the following day I went to pick her up.

‘I’ll just go and fetch her, be back in a moment,’ the receptionist told me.
But minutes passed, and she didn’t return.
I suddenly had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.
‘Something’s happened to Chai, I’m sure she’s dead,’ I told Mum over the phone.
And as she tried to calm me down, the vet came out with tears in her eyes.
‘I’m so sorry,’ she told me. 
‘We found Chai unresponsive. She must have had a reaction to the anaesthetic.’
‘Please try resuscitating her a little longer,’ I begged.
But despite their best efforts, my gorgeous Chai was gone.
I was devastated.
Everything in my flat reminded me of Chai, so I went to stay with my parents.
Later that night, an idea suddenly struck me.
‘I’ve decided, I’m going to clone Chai,’ I told Mum.
Through my tears, I explained what my roommate had told me about ViaGen.
‘I don’t want to replace her,’ 
I explained. ‘She died so very young, I haven’t had enough 
time with her.’
Mum was supportive and understood my reasoning.
The complicated process involved taking a skin sample from Chai and joining one of those cells with a doctored egg from a female cat.

Hopefully, that would create an embryo, that would then be inserted into a surrogate cat.
Any kitten born would be genetically identical to Chai, but 
I knew to expect some variations.
The clones were almost akin to an identical twin, just born later.
I was terrified Chai’s body would already have been cremated. But fortunately I called just in time and they were able to get a sample.
The following morning, I rang ViaGen first thing.
The fee was a staggering £19,000, but I earned a good income through my social media work, and was able to secure a five-year loan.
My heart was still breaking for Chai, but now I had something to focus on.
It’s OK, I reminded myself. I’ll have a kitten for Christmas.

'Is she actually a real-life clone?

Usually, the cloning process took about two years, so I knew Christmas, which was 10 months away, might be a little optimistic.
But sadly, attempt after attempt failed.
Chai’s body had been in the freezer overnight which had lowered the quality of her skin sample.
The poor lady at ViaGen must have been sick of my constant calls for updates.
It was four years before they contacted me to say my kitten was ready.
By then, I’d had time to grieve Chai fully, and I was so ready to meet the little pussycat.
When I went to pick her up, 
I could hear her mewing from the carrying case.

‘Can I hold her?’ I asked the ViaGen vet.
‘Go ahead,’ he smiled.
The new kitten looked almost identical to Chai, although the fur on her head was a slightly different colour.
She curled up and instantly went to sleep on my lap.
My heart melted.
Although it wasn’t quite like seeing Chai again, it was still very emotional.
For the first few weeks she lived in my bathroom, separate from my other pets.
I slept in the bath with pillows and blankets to keep her company.
My new kitten, who I named Belle, had many similarities to Chai.

She had a 
sassy and aloof personality, taking charge of my other pets.
However, her early socialisation meant that she was happy to come with me to bars or cafés on a 
lead, something Chai would have hated.
A few people were scared 
of her when they found out 
her backstory.
‘Is she actually a real-life clone?’ people asked.
As she grew up, I noticed 
a few more similarities.
‘She’s a lot more affectionate when you’re feeling anxious,’ my boyfriend pointed out.
‘It’s as if she’s picking up on my moods,’ I agreed.
And just like Chai, Belle started curling up at my back whenever 
I felt down.
Meanwhile, I had been documenting my cloning journey on social media.
Fans of Chai’s old page were fascinated to hear about my plan to clone her, and wanted to know everything about it. However, when I started posting pictures of her on TikTok, I received a lot of criticism.
Stop trying to play God! one commentor wrote.
Why spend so much money 
on her when there are animals 
in need? typed another.
But my decision to clone 
Chai didn’t affect animals in shelters.
I did it because she deserved 
a second chance.
Looking back, I can see I chose it as a coping mechanism for dealing with intense grief.
But I still think cloning Chai is the most incredible thing 
I have ever done.
Chai was my soulmate pet, and getting to keep a piece of her has helped me so much in dealing with her loss.
I know Belle isn’t Chai, she’s her own cat.
But having her with me is comforting in a way I don’t really know how to explain.
And while I wouldn’t clone Belle, I’ve had skin samples taken from my dog Ghost.
Just in case I can ever afford another round!

Kelly Anderson, 35

As my 50th approached, I had a secret confession to make to my hubby. But how would he react? By Helene Parent, 52

Looking at the clock, I worked out it would be a couple of hours before Mum would be home.

She was a single parent, and it was my job to look after my younger sister, Audrey, when Mum worked late.
‘Come on, let’s get the toys out,’ I said to her, and the pair of us began to rummage around in the toy box.
I liked having the responsibility because it made me feel grown-up.
I learnt to cook too, and as I chopped and stirred, I began to imagine what it would be like to prepare meals for guests.
‘Running my own restaurant would be amazing,’ I said to Audrey.
But, as a teen, I began to dream of new horizons. And by the time I was 24, I’d made a big decision.
‘I’m going to live in Tenerife,’ I told Mum and Audrey.
Arriving on the sunny island, I quickly settled and took full advantage of the busy social life it offered.
Then one day, as I walked along one of the beaches, I spotted a tiny figure weaving in and out of the waves on a surfboard.
I watched in admiration as the surfer majestically rode a wave and thought, I want to do that.
So I got all the equipment and was soon out there myself.
I discovered that it was a great way to make friends and I didn’t half fancy a guy called Luc who ran one of the local surfing shops, with his suntanned features and welcoming smile.
But I kept that crush to myself after discovering he was married with two sons.
In time, I met my partner and gave birth to a son, Hugo.

'My dream has come true'

Sadly, the relationship didn’t last, and I became a single mum.
It made me think about all the times I’d looked after Audrey while Mum worked and reminded me of the dream I’d had back then of opening a restaurant.
I still loved cooking and often had friends over for dinner.
‘That’s fantastic,’ they’d tell me, when I dished up a three-course meal I’d whipped up.
And, after talking to my dad about my restaurant dream, he said, ‘I’ll help you.’
So, at the age of 40, I found myself in a kitchen, luxuriating in the aroma of chicken and gorgeous smelling herbs as I chopped and stirred.
‘My dream has come true,’ I said to Hugo.
And my customers seemed to love my food too because they kept coming back for more.
My new life was busy, and I was always on my feet, but the feeling of achieving what I’d wanted to do for years was wonderful.

Then one afternoon, I took a couple of hours off to have my hair cut and stopped to grab a quick coffee on the way.
In the coffee shop, I saw a man I thought I recognised and when our eyes met, he said, ‘Don’t we know each other?’
Suddenly a memory flashed through my mind.
‘Didn’t you run a surfing shop?’ I asked and he nodded.
It was Luc, the guy I’d fancied all those years ago when I’d first started surfing!
‘Would you like to join me?’ he asked.
I wished I could, but I had to get to my appointment, so I handed him a business card and said, ‘I have to dash. But come to my restaurant any time and let’s have a coffee there.’
The next day, I was at work when Luc strolled in, so I got us both a drink and we sat down to chat.

He told me he’d been separated from his wife for 15 years and as I was still single too, that was music to my ears.
When he’d finished his coffee, he stood up, kissed me on the cheek and said, ‘I like you a lot.’
I blushed. I liked him a lot too.
We began seeing each other and I worked out that it had been 22 years since I’d first set eyes on Luc’s tanned face and swooned.
This time, after just three whirlwind months, he asked, ‘Will you marry me?’
‘Yes!’ I said, without hesitation.
Just six months later, we exchanged our vows and afterwards, Hugo and I moved in with Luc.
Then one day soon after, I had an afternoon off from the restaurant, so Luc and I went out cycling.
But as we pedalled along, I took a tumble.
‘Ow,’ I grimaced, grasping my ankle in pain.
Luc got me to the hospital where a doctor said, ‘It’s broken and you’ve ruptured some ligaments.’
My heart sank and he explained I was facing months of recovery.
The restaurant had to take a back seat, and now Luc and Hugo were looking after me.
I was so used to being independent that I hated being completely reliant on them.
But when I sensed they were becoming irritated with having to help me out so much too, a seed of resentment was planted inside me.
I thought back to all the times I’d instinctively cared for people without complaint.
I’d looked after my little sister as a child, Hugo as a single parent, various partners and more recently Luc and his house after we’d moved in.
Now when I needed looking after, I wasn’t getting the same care I’d given in the past.
Gradually, my resentment grew and grew.
And with my 50th approaching, I knew exactly what was at the top of my birthday present list.
I want to be truly independent, I thought.
Although I still loved Luc and didn’t want to lose him from my life, I realised I wanted to live on my own and run my restaurant.
Could there be a way I could have both?
Nervously, I broached the subject with Luc.
‘I don’t want to live with you any more,’ I confessed and his eyes widened in shock.
‘Do you want to separate?’ he asked in dismay.
‘No, definitely not,’ I replied.
Slowly, I outlined how I still wanted us to be married, I just wanted to live on my own and run a restaurant in my home.
He shook his head, bewildered, but now I’d said it out loud to him, I was more sure than ever that’s what I wanted.
So while he tried to get his head around what I’d told him, I began looking for a home of my own.
Luc still wasn’t sure this was going to work when I found the perfect place, packed up my stuff and moved in.
A few days later, Luc came to stay over for two days.

The emotion of being apart and then together again was exhilarating.
‘We’re getting the best of each other,’ I said.
‘Yes, I see that now,’ he said, finally understanding that it was for the best.
After that, he came over regularly from his place 40 minutes away to help me with the renovations and soon, I opened up the restaurant from my new home.
Each time he visited, we were overjoyed to be together again.
It was an unusual set-up, but it worked for us and really kept things fresh.
When I explained to friends, I noticed it was women who understood it best.
‘It’s rooted in love, and it needs trust and commitment,’ I told them.
Now, seven years into married life, and two years on from living apart, my marriage to Luc is the strongest it’s ever been.
Who’d have guessed that the secret is living apart!

When Jen hurt her shoulder 
at the gym, she had no idea 
her life could be in danger...

Pushing myself up off the gym mat, I felt a stabbing pain in my right shoulder blade and the room started to swirl around me.

What’s going on? I fretted.
I’d only done a light workout and was just cooling down.
When the dizziness eased, 
I quickly headed home.
‘You should get it checked out at A&E,’ my partner told me.
But I shook my head. Being a Pilates teacher, I was pretty sure it was just a muscle twinge that would soon sort itself out.
Only in the following days, the pain became unbearable.
I also started to feel a tightness in my chest.
My GP sent me for an X-ray.
‘You should get the results 
in about a fortnight,’ the radiologist said.
I was just getting into the car when my phone rang.
It was the clinic.
‘Hello?’ I answered.
‘We’ve just reviewed your X-ray, and you appear to 
have a collapsed lung,’ a 
nurse said. ‘You need to go 
to A&E urgently.’
My jaw dropped.
How could I have a collapsed lung and not know?
I was diagnosed with spontaneous pneumothorax – 
a random lung collapse.
It could have been life threatening if I’d had breathing difficulties.
Thankfully, my oxygen levels were stable, so I was discharged.
‘Your lung should re-inflate on its own within 10 days,’ the doctor said.
I went for weekly X-rays and, by the fourth, doctors were happy that my lung was inflating.
Then, the day after the scan, I felt the same stabbing shoulder pain.
‘It’s happening again,’ 
I groaned to my partner.
At hospital, they confirmed I’d had another lung collapse and I was kept in for five days.
I thought that would be the end of it. But a month later,
 it happened again.
And even after having major chest surgery, the lung collapses didn’t stop.
‘I can’t do this any more,’ I wept to my consultant.
My life had been put on hold for months.
Determined to find the cause, I started looking at the dates of each collapse.
They were all pretty much 
26 days apart.
And then it dawned on me.
Each lung collapse had occurred around my period.
Researching online, I came across a rare condition called thoracic endometriosis.

As the name suggested, it was a type of endometriosis. But instead of endometrial tissue growing in sufferers’ pelvic area, it grew in the 
chest cavity.
Symptoms often worsened during a period, as the endometrial tissue shed like the uterine lining.
I was convinced that this was what was causing my 
lung collapses.
I had no history of endometriosis, but the symptoms described everything I’d experienced.
While the doctors agreed it was a possibility, they didn’t know much about the condition.
And so, after more lung collapses and scans, I was referred to a specialist.
I underwent surgery to investigate my chest further.
‘We found an endometrial lesion on your diaphragm, which we’ve managed to remove,’ the surgeon told 
me after I woke up. ‘It’s likely this was causing your lung 
to collapse.’
Sadly, the relief I felt was short-lived.
I suffered from severe pain and sickness afterwards, spending three weeks in hospital recovering.
Months on, I’m still getting lung collapses with every period, so my treatment is ongoing.
But I’m trying to stay positive, and I’m holding a training event for health professionals to increase 
their knowledge of 
thoracic endometriosis.
It’s my mission to raise awareness.

By Jen Pickering, 40, Liverpool

As the May half term approached, conversations with friends and mums at the school gate inevitably turned to holidays and how parents planned to keep their kids entertained. I mentioned an upcoming trip to Europa-Park with my two young sons, Odhran, 10, and Reuben, 8, and the response surprised me. No-one had heard about this major attraction, despite it being the second most visited theme parks in Europe and being awarded the title of 'Best Theme Park in the World' at the Golden Ticket Awards (the 'Oscars' of the amusement park industry) an incredible 10 times! Many people I spoke to about my trip confused it with Eurocamp or another holiday park operator, EuroParcs. Rollercoaster enthusiasts from the UK are fully aware of this highly-rated attraction, which last year celebrated its 50th anniversary. It is home to record-breaking rides, and with six to seven million visitors every year, it's seems a well kept secret among its mostly German, French and Swiss visitors. But while around two million Brits flock to Disneyland Paris every year, it appears we might be so dazzled by Mickey Mouse and his pals that we've overlooked Germany's hidden gem.

The theming

Europa-Park covers an area of about 235 acres, making it Germany's largest theme park. We walked about 20,000 steps a day here, so comfy footwear is a must. The attractions are spread across 20 beautifully designed themed areas - 18 of which are based on European countries and the other two include Adventure Land and Grimm's Fairytale Forest. Stroll alongside the canals of Italy, cross over a bridge into France, or explore the cobbled streets and wooden chalets of Switzerland - the park takes you on a charming journey through Europe.

The attention to detail is meticulous. We found ourselves knocking on walls to see they were plywood or plastic that had been well painted to mimic stone, but at Europa-Park nothing is a cheap facade - the buildings have been constructed with heavyweight materials and great care has been given to bring an authentic feel to each themed area. For example, the light-coloured limestone used to build the piazza in the Croatian-themed area was shipped in from that part of the Mediterranean. Snap a picture next to the whitewashed buildings in the Greek area and it would be easy to convince friends and family you'd been to Mykonos.

Europa-Park also takes visitors on a culinary journey through the different countries - sample tarte flambée in France, pizza in Italy, gyros in Greece or tapas Spain. What we loved about the theming was that every time you turned a corner you stumbled upon something new. We thought we'd explored all the areas fully on our first day in the park, but then we'd approach from a different direction and discover something we hadn't noticed the first time round.

The rides

There are more than 100 attractions and rides for visitors of all ages, including 14 roller coasters. We spent two days exploring the theme park. On the first day, we arrived at around midday and stayed in the park until closing time (online it said 6pm but on the day the park stayed open til 7pm). On the second day we had early access, as we were staying at one of the Europa-Park hotels. So, we were able to enter at 8.15am (45 minutes before the official opening time) and enjoyed a full day in the park.

We entered the park in the Spanish themed area and Odhran and Reuben were keen to hop straight on the first ride they saw, which was Feria Swing - a carousel with swinging carriages that swoops up and down. Then we happened to catch a flamenco dancing show on the area's main stage. As we made our way deeper into the park, I feared huge queues for the most popular rides, as it was a bank holiday so the theme park would be busier than usual.

But as Odhran ran up to Euro-Mir, a giant space-themed rollercoaster with cars that spin round the track, we looked in amazement at the wait time on the digital display next to the entrance - only 6 minutes! Europa-Park doesn't do expensive fast track nonsense. Instead, they hire plenty of staff and operate rides in a highly-efficient manner. Aside from the big thrill rides, you can take your bag on a lot of the attractions, which helps to keep the queue moving along.

The park also operates a single rider line on the big attractions to fill up empty seats and reduce overall wait times. Through the Europa-Park app there's a free virtual queue service, where you can digitally reserve a ride time-slot for major attractions. But the day's limited slots were snatched up quickly and we didn't managed to make use of the virtual queue. This didn't bother us in the slightest, as despite visiting the park during a busy holiday time, we never waited longer than 25 minutes to go on any ride, and we experienced all of the 'big five' - Voltron Nevera, Silver Star, WODAN Timburcoaster, Blue Fire Megacoaster and Eurosat CanCan Coaster.

The water attractions

Europa-Park has fantastic water-based attractions. Poseidon was the first water coaster we’ve ever been on, and it did not disappoint. The combination of a high-speed rollercoaster with a log flume was really exciting. I was relieved to find that despite the big drop, we didn’t get soaked, though I think in the heat, Odhran and Reuben were hoping it would cool them down.

They did however manage to get drenched from head to toe by standing on the sidelines of Atlantica SuperSplash. They seemed to find waiting for the ride to race at a speed of around 50mph into the waters below and create a refreshing tidal wave that washed over the sideline spectators as exciting as they did when experiencing the ride itself.

We also enjoyed Fjord Rafting and Whale Adventures – Northern Lights, a boat ride where you travel through Icelandic waters and use water cannons to target various features – or in our case my husband, who was stood by the fence trying to take photos.

Our favourite rides

Voltron has a wonderful sense of theatre as you enter the stall and the suspense mounts. The steep launch is thrilling and it hits speeds of 62mph, with several launches and inversions along the way. But I found my head got rattled around a lot, which is why I choose WODAN Timburcoaster as my favourite ride at Europa-Park. In fact, we all agreed this was our favourite ride (though at 1.26m Reuben wasn't able to go on all the big rollercoasters). We loved the force of this ride. You could hear it whooshing past.

Aside from WODAN, I loved the huge loop of Blue Fire Megacoaster, where you seem to just hang in the middle of it for a split second. Odhran loved Euro-Mir, but his favourite ride was Silver Star - a steel rollercoaster that reaches a speed of 79mph and has an incredible sense of weightlessness. This was in the Monaco area and Odhran was really taken by the flavour of Formula 1 and projections of the Côte d'Azur in the holding area. We all really enjoyed Alpine Express, but Reuben rode it with a VR set in his first VR rollercoaster experience (at an extra cost of four euro) and sited it as his favourite ride at Europa-Park after WODAN. We also enjoyed the novelty of the CanCan Coaster and spiralling down at speed in the dark to the sound of Galop Infernal. My husband couldn't resist a few goes on Atlantic SuperSplash.

What is there for younger kids?

Europa-Park is suitable for all ages and has loads to offer younger kids and toddlers. There are plenty of gentle rides, themed zones, interactive play areas and splash zones. The best areas for little ones are probably the Ireland and Grimm's Fairytale Forest sections. The park also offers plenty of family-friendly facilities such as baby switch, allowing parents with toddlers to take turns on the big rollercoasters without having to wait in line twice. There are baby rooms with changing and quiet nursing areas, and the park is pushchair friendly and you can hire buggies at the main entrance.

The shows

Alongside all the rides, there are several shows to enjoy and you'll need to check the app for times to make sure you don't miss out. The boys were enjoying the rides so much that I found it difficult to pull them away to go and see one of the shows. We'd heard great things about the figure skating show but as Reuben had already expressed an interest in the horses in the Spanish area of the park, I decided The Legend of Zorro show might be most engaging for the boys, and I was correct. They were completely engrossed in the storyline (even though it was in German) and enthralled by the sword fighting and horse-riding tricks. If you're visiting Europa-Park, I'd highly recommend taking a break from the rides to enjoy one of the excellent shows on offer.

There's also the daily parade which takes place around 4.30pm. You'll want to be the Luxembourg themed area to make sure you catch this. Europa-Park's main mascots are the animated mice Ed Euromaus and Edda Euromausi. Ed leads the parade, joined by his friends, and it's seasonal, so you'll enjoy a different spectacle in summer, autumn and winter.

The accommodation

There are six themed hotels at Europa-Park and we stayed at the 4 star Hotel Colosseo. Our holiday got off to a great start from the moment we pulled up at this grand hotel and stepped into the beautiful foyer with archways and a painted fresco on a vaulted ceiling. 'Are we in Germany?' Reuben asked, feeling confused by our movements from Strasbourg to Germany and now stepping into Italian-inspired surroundings.

Hotel Colosseo features a stunning replica of the Colosseum and the foyer opens on to a piazza with water fountains in the centre, where kids can splash around and cool down, while adults sit and enjoy a coffee or a cocktail. They host regular fountain shows, set to lights and music. Odhran and Reuben were obsessed with the fountains and loved running through them and playing with other kids.

We stayed in a standard room, which was beautifully themed in a Roman/Italian style. There were Leonardo da Vinci inspired paintings and the bunk beds were in keeping with a wooden wheel design. There was a dressing table and hairdryer provided, and a small table with two chairs and an armchair next to the double bed. So, it felt pretty spacious.

There was a safe and a minibar (this was empty but water was provided). There was a walk-in shower and the water pressure and temperature met my fussy standards. I like to be able to relax rather than hurriedly getting washed. The bottled water and white fluffy towels were well replenished during our stay. Rooms at the hotel range from standard family units to the premium Caesare & Cleopatra suite, which features an in-room private sauna and whirlpool.

Hotel Colosseo also offers a stunning Roman-style spa with an outdoor pool that Odhran and Reuben loved. It stayed open until 10pm so they were able to enjoy a swim after a busy day at theme park, while I stretched out on one of the loungers by the pool and read my book.

Food and drink

The buffet breakfast was included in our stay and it had a huge choice on offer from fresh fruit and cereals, cured meats and cheese, to a variety of breads and pastries, pancakes and Nutella, alongside all the cooked breakfast offerings you might expect. I was happy to find English Breakfast Tea among the plentiful choice of tea options. Odhran and Reuben love a buffet breakfast and this had lots to fill their tummies before a busy day in the park. Reuben hopped up to have his photo taken next Europa-Park's mascot, Ed Euromaus, who was in the dining area to welcome kids in the morning.

There are plenty of dining options within the theme park itself, but as you can get your ticket scanned at the exit so you can re-enter the park, we preferred to head back to the hotel during the day to take a little break from all the action and enjoy a bite to eat. Hotel Colosseo is right on doorstep of the theme park, and about a two minute walk from the dedicated hotel guest entrance. So it was easy to nip back to the hotel for an hour. We really enjoyed Pizzeria La Romantica, with inside and outside seating, overlooking the hotel's piazza and water fountains. This was casual and reasonably priced dining. The stone-baked pizzas were delicious (priced between €13 - €19 or £11 - £16) and the boys loved the spaghetti bolognese (€8.50 or around £7 for a child's portion). Adults could also order half-size portions of the pasta dishes, which was perfect when you wanted something a bit lighter for lunch.

Other dining options at Hotel Colosseo included Antica Roma, a buffet-style restaurant designed to look like an elegant ancient Roman vault, and featuring a large Mediterranean hot and cold buffet, priced at €47.50 per adult (around £40) and €15.50 per child (around £13). Child aged five and under eat free.
Restaurant Medici is a more intimate, a-la-carte venue, offering fresh pasta, seafood, cured meats and fine wines.

Bar Colosseo on the fifth floor of the hotel was closed during our visit, but the downstairs Bar Commedia dell' Arte had a lovely atmosphere and was beautifully decorated with masks on the walls. It's a café and a bar and was the social hub of the hotel, as it opens out on to the lively piazza. It served the most delicious Italian ice-cream and tasty looking cakes and desserts. The ice-creams were really reasonably priced and came in tall glasses or bowls and were served with whipped cream and all kinds of toppings. A pint of beer (we opted for Erdinger and Bitburger) cost under €7 (around £5-£6).

As a guest at any of the Europa-Park hotels, you are welcome to visit the restaurants, bars, and pools at any of the other resort hotels. From Hotel Colosseo you can cross over a charming little bridge to dine on one of the waterfront terraces. Krønasår - The Museum-Hotel has a Nordic-style. Bell Rock is Europa-Park's maritime-themed hotel, Castillo Alcazar is styled on a medieval Spanish knight's castle, Hotel El Andaluz has the vibe of a sun-drenched Spanish country estate, and Hotel Santa Isabel is in the style of Portuguese convent. Alongside the hotels, Silver Lake City offers alternative accommodation with rustic tipis, covered wagons and log cabins, and the feeling of being transported into the Wild West. Europa-Park also provides comfortable tent and caravan pitches.

The location

Europa-Park is located in Rust, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It's right at the edge of the Black Forest and near the borders of France's beautiful Alsace region and Switzerland. We flew return from Gatwick to Strasbourg with EasyJet. It was a short flight of just over an hour. We hired a car and the drive from Strasbourg airport to Europa-Park took about 40-45 minutes. We extended our holiday to spend a few days exploring some of the beautiful locations within this corner of Europe. Find out more about Europa-Park here.

Take a Break's verdict

We would return to Europa-Park in a heartbeat. There was so much to love about this world-class attraction - from the theming to the number, variety and calibre of the rides. Highly efficient ride operations meant wait times weren't an issue. We were able to hop on many rides straightaway and never queued for longer than 25 minutes, even on the most popular attractions. If we had to nitpick, I found it a pain that there weren't any free drinking water fountains in the park and we had to spend about £4 on a small bottle of water - it was hot so we went through many. But this is a small gripe when we take into account everything it did have to offer. We loved chilling out at Hotel Colosseo. It was beautifully designed and the perfect place to relax and unwind. The outdoor pool and fountains in the piazza really added to the experience. The food and drink tasted great and felt reasonably priced. Europa-Park is a must visit for theme park fans of all ages, and if you couple it with a visit to its nearby sister waterpark Rulantica (which you absolutely must!) then you really are in for them most memorable time. Europa-Park proves that Germany is about a lot more than just city breaks to places such as Berlin and Munich. If you're planning your next family getaway or if you're a thrill-seeking couple, this is a destination that needs to jump straight to the top of your bucket list.

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Life moves quickly, and it’s easy to forget to take a little time for yourself. That’s why Take a Break Monthly is here - to give you a warm, uplifting escape you can enjoy whenever you need it most.

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Famed for its idyllic setting, world-class artists and family-friendly atmosphere, Latitude is one of those festivals that has a little something for everyone – and this year’s 20th anniversary promises to be the best yet.

To mark its big birthday, headliners such as David Byrne, Teddy Swims and Lewis Capaldi – as well as a host of other artists- will take to the stages across Thursday 23rd – Sunday 26th July.

But this four-day festival is about more than just music. It’s also hosting huge names in comedy such as Lenny Henry and Sarah Pascoe as well as theatre, dance, literature and family entertainment.

Since its debut in 2006, one of Latitude’s standout qualities has always been its family-friendlessness.

The festival has long been recognised for its extensive children’s programme, with dedicated family areas packed with activities, workshops, storytelling, theatre, outdoor adventures and creative play.

Little ones will love forest adventures hosted by The Woodcraft folk, rap sessions with MC Grammar and the minibeast safari. For budding performers, there are beginners breakdancing and ukulele sessions, plus a chance to learn choreography and songs from the musicals. Teens can take the plunge with supervised lake swims (16 plus) and paddle boarding (with parental supervision).

Family camping options and facilities designed specifically for parents make it easier than ever to enjoy a festival weekend together.

Big Green coach is the festival’s official travel partner, with purse-friendly direct travel to Cambridge, London, Norwich and other destinations. The site is also accessible by car (or bike), or from the nearby Halesworth train station.

Adult day tickets cost £115, children (5-12) £18. Under 5’s free. Adult weekend camping £320 each, children from £28.

Tickets are available at https://www.latitudefestival.com/index.php

My Tony was so kind, I was thrilled to do something special just for him. But the next day, tragedy struck. By Fiona Wiggins, 64

Twirling my mousy brown locks, I turned to my husband Tony.

‘I want to dye my hair green,’ I said.
‘You’re far too old for that, Pot,’ he quipped.
‘Watch it!’ I warned.
My Tony loved nothing more than winding me up – it had been that way from the moment we’d met through a lonely hearts ad more than 30 years ago.
I’d been bigger then, so his pet name for me had been Pot, as in hippopotamus.
‘You’re blocking out the sun,’ he’d tease whenever I hung my big knickers on the line.
But his gentle ribbing came from a place of love and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Tony also had the kindest heart and when I’d told him I wanted a gastric bypass after decades of struggling with my weight, he’d paid for it without batting an eyelid.
He’d taken care of me as I recovered from the operation too. But while I’d lost nine stone, the nickname Pot stuck!
Not long after he’d told me I was too old to dye my hair, I was shopping online for a fancy dress party and spotted a bright green wig.
Tony will love this, I thought, ordering two.
When Tony caught sight of me donning the green tresses as I dressed for the party, his face was a picture.
‘One for me and one for you,’ I said, pulling out the other one.
He plonked it on his head and launched into a comical jig leaving me in stitches.
In time, Tony supported me again as my mum passed away. So when my inheritance money came through, I decided it was his turn for a little TLC.
Ever since we’d met, he’d had problems with his teeth, which were constantly chipping and crumbling. He’d often have painful abscesses too.
Although he’d spoken about wanting dental work for years, we knew it would be expensive.
‘Right, I’ve got the money, so you’re getting your teeth fixed,’ I told him.
But our hopes were dashed when the dentist told us a new set of pearly whites would cost £33,000, which was way over our budget.

Then our friend Karen said, ‘My colleague had her teeth done in Budapest.’
We looked into it and found the Budapest practice ran a clinic in London once a month. So we travelled there from our home in Blaenau Ffestiniog.
‘You don’t need all your teeth replacing, the front four are still healthy,’ the dentist advised.
And the good news kept coming because the cost of the work was half what we’d previously been quoted.
Tony’s treatment would involve three trips to Budapest. To make the most of our time there, we added some extra nights for sightseeing.
Arriving in Budapest for the first time, we were pleased to find the clinic was clean and modern.
The staff were happy to answer questions and kept me supplied with tea while Tony was in the dentist’s chair.
After two successful trips, we headed out for the final one.
Tony was grinning from ear to ear as he walked out of the clinic with his new gnashers.
‘I’m so pleased, Pot!’ he said.
Although he had to have vegetable soup the first night, he gleefully told me, ‘It won’t be long before I’m tucking into a juicy steak.’
But visiting a market the next day, Tony was unusually quiet and had to stop to rest on the walk back to our Airbnb.

'I'm so please Pot!'

It was a sunny evening, so I said, ‘I’m going to paint my nails on the balcony, come and sit out with me.’
‘I’ll just pop to the loo,’ Tony said, getting up.
But when he didn’t emerge, I knocked on the door and called, ‘You OK, love?’
He didn’t answer, so I went in and found him standing up with his trousers around his ankles and an awful look on his face.
‘I can’t get my trousers up, I don’t know what to do,’ he stuttered helplessly.
‘Here, let me help,’ I said, pulling them up.
Looking at him more closely, I realised one side of his face had dropped.
‘Oh my God, I think you’re having a stroke,’ I whispered.
I got him on to the bed, then panicking, I called the emergency services and said, ‘Does anyone speak English?’
An ambulance arrived 10 minutes later and rushed us to hospital where Tony was taken for a CAT scan.
Afterwards, a doctor said, ‘Your husband’s had a massive haemorrhage and he’s very ill. We’re not sure he’s going to make it.’
The words hit me like a tonne of bricks. Just yesterday Tony had been on top of the world, now he was fighting for his life.
When I got to his bedside he was confused and they’d had to tie his wrists down.
‘He kept trying to pull his cannula out,’ the nurse explained.
Once she was out of earshot, Tony said, ‘Pot, can you undo my wrists, please?’
‘They’ve done it because you’ve been naughty and fiddled with the equipment,’ I explained gently.
‘I won’t be a naughty boy, Pot,’ he said, before slipping into unconsciousness.
I sat with him for a couple of hours before doctors sent me home to sleep.
But I was woken in the early hours of the morning by my phone ringing.
‘I’m afraid your husband has died,’ I was told.
I sat there in shock, unsure what to do next.
In a daze, I grabbed my purse and headed out to buy some decaf teabags for my son Keith who’d told me he was flying out here when I’d called after Tony fell ill.

When I opened the door to him a few hours later, I said, ‘He’s gone.’
Falling into Keith’s arms, the tears I’d been too shocked to cry finally came.
When my heaving sobs slowed, Keith said, ‘Let’s get out of here, Mum.’
It was a warm day and we found a shady spot along the Danube and sat there for hours while I processed everything that had happened.
Later, I discovered my instinct had been correct – Tony had suffered a massive stroke.
It didn’t have anything to do with his dental work, it was just pure bad luck.
Thinking about how excited he’d been about his new teeth and knowing he’d never had a chance to eat that juicy steak he’d longed for broke my heart.
Flying home without him two days on would’ve been unbearable without Keith by my side. Still, I couldn’t face unpacking Tony’s suitcase, leaving it untouched in the corner of the bedroom.
It took four weeks for his body to be repatriated and with Keith and my daughter Xanthe by my side, we held his funeral.
But even then, it hadn’t sunk in that he was gone.

I kept expecting him to pop round the corner with a cheeky grin and say, ‘Got you!’
Five months later, I booked a cruise and, in need of an extra suitcase, I told myself, ‘It’s time.’
Carefully unpacking Tony’s suitcase, I placed his shirts and trousers back in the wardrobe.
Almost two years on, I still can’t face getting rid of them but I have since met someone new.
Stuart and I forged a friendship after a chance meeting in the pub and in time, it became romantic.
I know Tony would be happy that I’m not alone, but not a day goes by when I don’t think about him and miss his cheeky, teasing ways and kind heart.
And while he didn’t get to enjoy the gift I gave him, I’m still glad I did it. His happy, smiling face as we left the clinic that sunny day in Budapest, will be etched in my memory forever.

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This Father’s Day, treat Dad to the thoughtful gift of relaxation, fun, and a brilliant way to keep his mind sharp all year long.

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As a study reveals that online matchmaking platforms have shed 16% of users in the past year,
we look at why people are giving up on finding love online…

Kelle Salle had been on and off dating apps for six years when, in May 2024, she finally decided she’d had enough.

‘I’d tried two of the main apps – Tinder and Bumble,’ says Kelle, 34, a journalist from Reading, Berkshire. ‘But online dating takes a lot of resilience. You speak to someone and get along great, but then they’re not reciprocating your energy so you have to go again, and again… The constant swiping and starting and ending conversations is time consuming and draining.
‘Last year, I’d been speaking to someone for six weeks and there was no talk of a date, despite me hinting. I suspected they were already in a relationship or just stringing me along.
‘Then, with another date, there was an extreme lack of consideration that shocked me. It was all a bit much and I said it would be the last man I’d ever date from an app.’
Kelle isn’t alone in feeling this way. For the first time ever, research suggests that user numbers are down for matchmaking platforms like Tinder, Hinge and Bumble.
There has been a 16% drop in use of the top 10 most popular dating apps over the past year, while, ‘Are dating apps a waste of time?’ was one of the most Googled relationship queries in 2024.
One survey found that a third of respondents reported harassment or abuse on apps, while another revealed that 61% of app users said they’d encountered fake profiles.
Research suggests Gen Z-ers are instead returning to real-life encounters. Ticketing website Eventbrite reported more than 1.54 million searches for dating and singles events, while a recent poll by The Gym Group suggested that 37% of 18-to-24-year-olds viewed exercising as a way to socialise.
Dr Madeleine Mason Roantree, a psychologist specialising in relationships and dating, says, ‘Online dating can be disheartening. It can take a lot of time and effort to sift through profiles, reach out to people and engage with them and people experience little return on that time investment.

'The constant swiping is draining'

‘The “illusion of choice” also keeps people from focusing. Then there’s self-sabotage, warped expectations and lack 
of self-confidence. People don’t respond to your advances, or they do, then later “ghost” you.
‘Many profiles aren’t accurate, so people appear different when you meet them. Some people find they’re inundated by shallow advances which becomes draining, while not getting likes or matches at all can feel like nobody wants you and this can feel isolating.’
It’s a picture Kelle recognises. She first joined Tinder in 2018 after being single for two years. She recalls, ‘At the time a lot of people around me seemed to be meeting their partners that way but from the start it was a mixed experience.
‘When I first joined I went on a date with a guy and there was no effort, no chemistry and no interest in getting to know me.
‘As a woman, it feels like you’re expected to do a lot of the prompting and pushing, when it should be a two-way street.
‘I’d also see men’s profiles where they’d say shocking things about women, talking about how we should look, whether we should wear make-up, be a certain size or have a certain type of lifestyle. Having a preference is fine, but there’s a difference between that and plain misogyny.
‘There’s also a lack of clarity. If a man just wants to sleep with a woman while the woman wants a relationship, the onus is on the woman to discern whether the man is genuinely interested in her or not.
‘With some men there’s just not that level of honesty, because they know that if they’re honest they’re not going to get what they want.’
Kelle did meet one man who she admits was nice. ‘But in six years he was the only person where I genuinely thought, Yeah, we could have something special here,’ she says. ‘Sadly it didn’t work out.’
Despite finding online dating a slog, Kelle has previously returned to the apps, after quitting.
She explains, ‘I knew others who’d met their partners online so I always thought, It can happen for you! Keep your head up! Be optimistic! Just give it one more try! There’s an optimism that’s hard to drop.

‘Finally after the impact that last dating experience had on me, I just thought, You know what? This is not what I want in terms of the quality of men that appear to be on this app. It opened my eyes that there are men out there who see dating as a game and once they’ve got to a level they’re happy with they can become a completely different person.
‘Character is the most important thing to look for – and there’s no way to tell that from swiping through endless pictures.’
Despite acknowledging the pitfalls, Dr Roantree remains more optimistic about the prospect of meeting your soul mate online.
‘Dating apps can work,’ she insists. ‘It’s convenient as you can cut to the chase quicker, unlike meeting offline, where you first need to establish whether the person you are talking to is single and looking for a relationship.
‘I met my own husband on a dating app, after applying the principles I was using as a dating coach. It took me three “dating cycles” to meet him and he proposed after about four months of dating.
‘The clearer someone is on their profile about wanting a meaningful relationship, the more likely they’re serious about wanting one.
‘Also the amount of detail and effort that has gone into curating the profile can also be a good indicator – good quality photos for example, as opposed to out of focus images, with people cropped out.’
But Kelle remains unconvinced. She says, ‘While apps have brought quite a few people together, they’ve also done quite a bit of damage. You have women questioning their desirability, issues with their confidence, worth and self-esteem.
‘Apps have overcomplicated dating, with all the various stages – talking stages, when to make things official. It all feels so forced. It’s not meant to be such hard work!
‘Now the only way I’d be willing to meet somebody is organically. If it’s meant to happen, it will happen. I’ve made peace with knowing that the person for me is not on a dating app.’

For more information go to madeleinemasonroantree.com
Follow Kelle on Instagram @kelleswriter or via her blog, itskellesspace.com

After repeated misdiagnoses, would Gemma 
ever find out why her boy was in such pain?

Watching my toddler Archie, two, peer into the rock pool, 
I said, ‘Can you see anything?’

‘A crab!’ Archie shouted, full of glee.
Archie was a happy little boy who loved being outside.
Only, not long after our beach trip, he started complaining of back pain.
When it didn’t ease, I took him to the GP.
‘It’s constipation,’ the doctor said, prescribing medication.
But I wasn’t convinced. My boy was going to the toilet regularly.
Over the next few weeks, Archie continued to groan about his back aching as well as stomach aches.
‘It hurts, Mummy!’ he’d say, tears in his eyes.
This time the GP suggested he had a urinary tract infection.
But the pain continued.
Then one day, another mum said, ‘He walks like a little old man, doesn’t he?’
I laughed, but looking at Archie, I noticed his upper body stooped forwards, leaving his back hunched.
At home, I asked Archie to stand up straight and was concerned when I found he couldn’t straighten his knees and when he did, his upper body lent forwards more.
Since Archie was a pandemic baby, I called his health visitor to get some overdue measurements and weights taken.
He was small for his age and he even still fitted into his first pair of shoes – it was as if he wasn’t growing.
Looking at Archie’s posture, the health visitor sent him to see a physiotherapist.
After a few months, I was told Archie would grow out of his funny walk, and not to worry.
But then, the pain became worse. Archie would be awake the whole night, screaming.
While in the car, he would flinch in agony whenever we went over a bump.
Doctors suggested various ailments including night terrors and an undescended testicle.
Then, Archie couldn’t go to the toilet and when he did, it was a few drops and the colour of treacle.
Horrified, we made our 27th trip to the doctor’s and Archie was referred for an MRI scan.
The next day, we were on our way to Peppa Pig World with my mum, when the hospital called.
‘Archie has a mass on his spine and we need to conduct urgent surgery to remove it,’ a consultant said.
My eyes went blurry and my hands shook as I tried to take in the news.
‘We’re on our way right now,’ I said.
Our day out abandoned, Mum drove us to Bristol Children’s Hospital where doctors were waiting.
‘The tumour is nine centimetres and it has damaged Archie’s spinal cord, he won’t be able to walk again,’ a doctor said.
The surgery was a huge risk and we were told there was only a one-in-five chance of Archie’s survival. But it was the only option to save his life.

Watching Archie drift off to sleep before surgery, I couldn’t stop crying.
After an agonising 18 hours, we were told Archie’s operation had been a success – the tumour had been removed.
Sitting with him in his hospital bed, I held him tight.
Thankfully, after testing, the tumour was benign and I breathed a huge sigh of relief that Archie didn’t need any further treatment.
Months later, however, at a scan, we were horrified to find that the tumour had returned.
After another operation to remove the two centimetre growth, Archie was finally out of the woods.
He came home on my birthday and I cheered, ‘This is the best present ever!’
Due to where the tumour was, Archie has a spinal cord injury and will have for the rest of his life. But he’s a content and confident lad and has adapted so well to life in a wheelchair.
If Archie wants to do something, my boy will find a way!

Hannah’s Spanish proposal ended in disaster. Then their local supermarket came to the rescue…

As we wandered through the pretty Barcelona streets twinkling in the dusk, I sighed with happiness.

‘It’s been the perfect weekend, but I’m ready to go home now,’ I smiled to my boyfriend, Charlie.
After walking miles to cram in the famous sights, my legs were aching and I just wanted to get to the airport.
‘Last stop for a photo,’ Charlie said, as we reached the beautiful Arc de Triomf.
Propping his phone against a wall, I thought he was capturing the moment to show my daughter Zara, eight, when we got home.
But suddenly, he sank on to one knee, reached into his pocket and pulled out a sparkling diamond ring.
I gasped in shock and hid my face under my scarf as tourists turned to look.
I’d had no idea!
‘Yes, of course!’ I squealed. ‘I love you!’
Just then, as I glanced over Charlie’s shoulder, I spotted a man in a dark coat bend down and grab my fella’s phone.
‘Oi, stop!’ I yelled, in disbelief.
The wannabe thief started to scurry off, but I was in hot pursuit.
As I caught up with him, he looked startled and handed me the phone back, before hurrying away.

'It'll make an unusual story'

Both Charlie and I were shaken and furious.
‘How could somebody try to mug us during our proposal?’ I said.
‘It’s spoilt the moment slightly,’ Charlie said, sadly.
‘Let’s get out of here,’ I said, taking Charlie’s hand.
Back home the next day, Charlie put the video clip on social media.
‘It’s gone crazy!’ he said a few hours later.
It had attracted more than 600,000 views and comments from all over the world!
By now, we’d got over the shock of 
the attempted theft and could laugh about it.
After all, it had all ended well.
‘It’ll make an unusual story to tell the grandkids,’ I chuckled.
A couple of months passed and, one evening, Charlie and I were heading to Morrisons to do our weekly shop.
Popping items into our 
trolley, we reached the bakery counter.
But as I got closer, there was a flurry of activity and I could sense something was afoot.
Before I realised what was happening, a couple of bakery staff emerged from the kitchen and approached us with a giant cookie.
As I read the words that were iced on it – Morri Me? – my jaw dropped to the floor.
Spinning round, I saw Charlie crouched on one knee – for the second time in two months!
‘So, will you marry me… again?’ Charlie grinned as shoppers watched on.
‘Yes!’ I cried, giving him a hug as a Morrisons photographer snapped away.
Second time around in the bakery section, my fella’s plans hadn’t gone a-rye!

Afterwards, we were presented with flowers and champagne by the lovely bakers.
Later, Charlie explained everything, telling me how Morrisons had got in touch with him after reading about how our engagement in Barcelona had ended in failure.
‘They asked if I wanted to try again in our local store,’ he told me.
‘I can’t believe it,’ I smiled, touched by Morrisons’ and Charlie’s sweet gesture to make the moment extra special.
It definitely made up for the pain in Spain and will be crumb-thing I remember for years!
Now, we’re planning our big day.
I’m not putting it past Charlie to put a quirky twist on our nuptials, but what’s for sure is I’ll be walking down a very different aisle and at the end of it, saying, ‘I dough!’
He’s my butter half, after all!

Hannah McNaghten, 26, Reading, Berkshire

Once a month, Carla’s mental health deteriorated. In a bid to recover, 
she did something drastic…

As I watched two blue lines form on the pregnancy test, a wave of relief washed over me.

‘It’s positive,’ I said to my husband.
I was delighted to add to our brood, giving my daughter Isla, two, a sibling.
And knowing I had nine months of pregnancy ahead was a dream come true.
Since my periods started, aged 10, I’d suffered from premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a severe form of PMS.
For two weeks every month, I suffered anxiety, mood swings and depression.
Ovulation sent my hormones haywire – one day I could be happy as Larry, the next I could feel suicidal.
I was forced to plan my life around my menstrual cycle and I was in and out of jobs because of my condition.
Over the years, I’d tried birth control, antidepressants and an implant in an attempt to ease my symptoms.
But nothing worked as well as pregnancy. It stopped my hormones fluctuating and, as a result, my mental health improved.
Nine months later, I gave birth to my precious son, Harry.
Only then my symptoms returned with full force.
I spent the first few weeks of Harry’s life in tears, once again unable to cope with the world.
‘I want a hysterectomy,’ I told my doctor.
It was an extreme option, but having my womb and ovaries surgically removed would fix the problem once and for all.
I felt like my family was complete and I’d deliberately had babies in my early 20s for this reason.
Eventually, my doctor agreed to give me hormone suppressing injections.
‘If these work, we can perform a hysterectomy,’ he told me.
Once we’d worked out the correct dosage, my mood lifted and I was given the go-ahead for the operation.
Before the surgery rolled around, I split with my husband.
Eventually, I decided to re-enter the dating scene, but vowed to only see men who had kids, to avoid any sticky situations further down the line.
Luckily, I met Ashlea, who already had two children from a previous relationship.
On the day of my operation, I felt pure excitement.
Before the surgery could begin, the consultant had one last reminder for me.
‘I want to check you understand the implications of this surgery,’ he said. ‘It’s going to age you overnight.’
With my ovaries gone, my body would enter menopause – meaning wrinkles, weight gain and joint problems.
I’d be 27 in the body of a 50-year-old.
‘I don’t care,’ I replied. ‘I need this.’
The surgery lasted nine hours after I suffered internal bleeding, but, four days on, I arrived home, ready for a second chance at life.
Within a fortnight, I felt lighter and brighter. It was like a weight had been lifted.
I’m still going through the menopause now, and although it’s been tricky to navigate at times, it’s better than what I had to cope with before.
PMDD can be hereditary and now my daughter is nearing puberty I sometimes worry she might have it too. If she does, I’ll support her no matter what.
My journey has inspired Ashlea and myself to set up a community interest company to support children and young people with emotional regulation and mental health support.

I’m living proof that things can get better.

By Carla Blanksby, 31, of Boston, Lincolnshire

My lifelong passion had sparked an idea to help other women. 
By Jenni Smith, 48

Carefully I pushed the needle through the material and reached for my scissors.

‘That’s lovely and neat,’ my grandmother said.
I was nine and she was helping me to make a skirt.
It wasn’t long before I became hooked on sewing and, by the time I was 12, 
I was getting creative and stitching letters on to my T-shirts.
My passion remained with me when I went to university and afterwards when I got married and became a mum.
In time, we moved from the UK to Toronto in Canada and, one day, I was going to a playgroup with my son when my eye was caught by a quilting shop next door.
I went in and marvelled at the fabrics.
‘They’re beautiful,’ I said.
Joining a quilting group, I fell in love with the craft.
When we returned to the UK, I continued quilt-making and set up my own sewing business. In between having two more children, I honed my expertise, eventually publishing a book about it.
Then one day, I was at a dance class with my two-year-old daughter, when I met a fellow mum, Kay.
The pair of us signed up for tap dancing lessons and soon became friends.
When the school held an auction of promises, I volunteered.
‘I’ll donate a quilt-making lesson,’ I said.
Kay came to the lesson, along with some others, and the evening was such a success that our friendship circle began to meet at each others’ houses to sew.

'I've had an idea'

I taught them how to make all sorts from kids’ clothes to curtains.
And we planned sewing weekends away. Kay sorted the food and logistics while I concentrated on delivering the sewing lessons.
In time, I took the leap and opened up a studio in Ilkley, West Yorkshire.
‘I’d love it if you came to work with me,’ I said to Kay, and she did.
As we grew into middle age, our conversations at the sewing group turned naturally to the menopause.
Several of us were experiencing perimenopause and menopause symptoms.
‘My memory’s been badly affected,’ said one.
‘I can’t sleep,’ said another.
‘I’m really hot all the time,’ sighed Kay.
I began to think about what she could wear to keep cooler.
‘What about a light, floaty jacket?’ I suggested.
We found a pattern and ran it up on the sewing machine.
‘This is great,’ Kay said when she put it on.
As our conversations while sewing covered our serious concerns about the menopause, my mind whirred.
Sewing was so therapeutic but I wondered if it could help us in other ways and I came up with an idea for projects specifically created to help women through this time of life.

Kay had an idea. She found a pattern and set about cutting and stitching.
The following week she showed the group an eye mask she’d made.
‘To help beat insomnia,’ she said.
Kay and I put our heads together and came up with more patterns from relaxation blankets to combat anxiety, to baskets for storing items so we didn’t keep forgetting where we’d put things.
‘Sewing for the menopause,’ I said. ‘This could be an idea for a book.’
We pitched the idea to a publisher, and it was accepted.
We poured our ideas into it and when we saw the book cover for the first time, we felt so proud.
It’s on sale now and we really hope it makes a positive difference.
Who’d have thought our needles and pins would help us navigate the menopause!

• Menopause Makes, by Jenni Smith & Kay Walsh, published by Search Press, £20, out now

Unhappy about my weight, I hid behind humour – till my wedding dress threatened to expose me. By Jane Carter, 65

As one of my daughters pulled my size 26 wedding dress together, the other strained to pull up the zip.

Suddenly, a horrifying image popped into my head.
My champagne and gold frock had split open, leaving me exposed in front of my wedding guests!
Turning to my girls, Emma, 34, and Amy, 32, I pleaded with tears in my eyes, ‘Just do it up, please.’
They did and, thankfully, my dress stayed intact as I married my long-term love Don. But I could barely breathe all day.
It was no secret why I was overweight.
I’d adored food all my life and was known as the fat kid at school. I was deeply unhappy about my size but dealt with it – and the bullies – by becoming the class comedian.
In my late teens, I went on my first diet and by the time I’d started nurse training, I was slim.
Only, it didn’t last and, once I started working shifts at a busy hospital, it was easier to grab a couple of doughnuts than to eat a healthy meal.
By the time I’d married my first husband and had my daughters, money was tight and the cash I had went on the kids, while I lived on chips and sugary treats.
The next few years passed by in an endless cycle of yo-yo diets and I ended up getting bigger and bigger.
By my early 40s, I tipped the scale at 20 stone, much too big for my 5ft 3in frame.
My weakness was chocolate, biscuits and crisps.
‘I don’t know how you can be with me,’ I’d say to Don.
‘I love you for you,’ he’d tell me. ‘I don’t see the outside, only the inside.’
But at 50, after suffering from breathlessness, I got a terrible shock.
I was diagnosed with diabetes.
The doctor said it meant 
I was at risk of a heart 
attack or stroke.
My weight wasn’t doing me any favours and I thought, I’ve got to do something.
But I didn’t.
Instead, as my medication controlled the symptoms, I ignored the problem.
It wasn’t until my wedding day, on my 56th birthday, when I struggled to fit into my dress that I thought, Enough’s enough!
Over the years, I’d dabbled with the idea of joining Slimming World.
Now, I decided to pluck up the courage to do it.
Walking through the doors, I was made to feel so welcome and, as the consultant explained the plan and the food I could still enjoy, I was astonished.
Back at home in Colchester, Essex, I swapped my sugary breakfasts for fruit and yogurt, while lunch was jacket potato with a big salad.
For dinner, I’d make a slow-cooked pot roast with a rainbow of veggies.
Over the following 18 months, I lost four stone and in the next few years, I shed five more.
I hit the scales at 9st 3lb – more than half my previous weight – and was able to fit into a size 8.
Recently, I got incredible news from the doctor. Thanks to losing weight, I’d reversed my diabetes and my arthritis had improved too.
It’s given me the confidence to wear a swimsuit for the first time in ages and I’ve taken up exhilarating cold-water sea swims with the Bluetits group.
My mental health is so much better and I’ve made new friends.

I’m so grateful for my new lease of life and it was all thanks to that wedding dress!

DIET BEFORE

Breakfast: jam or golden syrup on toast
Lunch: sandwich, crisps, chocolate bar and pastries
Dinner: stew with dumplings, veg and chips
Snacks: crisps and biscuits

DIET AFTER

Breakfast: fruit and yogurt 
or porridge
Lunch: jacket potato and salad
Dinner: slow-cooked pot roast with veggies
Snacks: fruit or yogurt

When my fella proposed, my best friends had an unusual suggestion. We just couldn’t tell anyone. 
By Caroline Simpson, 54

‘I hope they 
like me,’ he said.
‘They better had,’ I replied, laughing, ‘or it’s over for us!’
I was about to introduce him to Sharon and David, my best friends 
of 14 years.
Although I’d first met them through someone I was seeing, we’d stayed close after the break-up.
We shared a love of rock music, motorbikes and camping holidays. Sharon and I were always chatting away on the phone.
So it was important to me that they approved of Allen.
But I wasn’t worried. Allen was friendly, laid-back, and loved motorbikes just as much as we did.
The conversation flowed over a few beers, and I could tell they liked him.
‘You seem really good together,’ Sharon told me when we had a moment alone.
It didn’t take 
long before the four of us were hanging out regularly.
Sharon and David lived an hour and a half away from my home in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, but we’d get together for camping trips.
After my parents lent me their old caravan, we all swapped out our tents for caravans of our own!
We travelled up and down the country, everywhere from Newquay to Edinburgh, visiting crazy golf courses, playing cards and sharing some drinks around the 
fire in the evenings.
After five and a half years together, Allen proposed 
to me on Christmas Day.
Although we didn’t set a date, our families were over the moon, and Sharon and David celebrated with us on our next caravan holiday.

'When will it be my turn?'

‘When’s it going to be 
my turn?’ Sharon asked, jokingly. ‘We’ve been together 14 years!’
‘It’s not the idea of marrying you that I don’t like,’ David replied. ‘I just don’t want a big fuss. If we could do it simply, I’d marry you tomorrow.’
‘What’s more important to you?’ I asked Sharon. ‘The marriage or the wedding?’
‘The marriage,’ she said.
‘So how about we elope?’ David suggested.
We chatted it over and someone mentioned Gretna Green, which is famous for its history of runaway weddings.
Then David had an idea.
‘If we’re going to elope,’ 
he said, ‘why don’t you two join us?’
I looked at Allen and he looked back at me.
I’d always hated being the centre of attention, so the idea of a big wedding had never really appealed to me.
‘Why not?’ I said. ‘Let’s do it!’

So our double wedding was planned for the following September.
We agreed we’d stay in Gretna Green for 
a few days, then take 
our caravans down to Whitby in North Yorkshire 
for a week’s honeymoon.
And, in the style of all elopements, the four of 
us decided to keep the wedding a secret.
I thought if my mum knew it was happening, she’d feel worse about missing it than if she just found out afterwards.
As for my son, Jamie, I knew he’d be relieved to skip the wedding chaos.
Meanwhile, Sharon and 
I swapped notes on the dresses we’d picked out.
David was getting his way with a low-key ceremony, 
but we all agreed to dress 
up in full wedding glam 
for the big day.
I picked up a beautiful dress for just £40 on Etsy.

‘It’s gorgeous,’ Sharon said, when I sent her a photo of me wearing it. ‘It’d look lovely with a bit of lace.’

‘I swear it had lace in the pictures,’ I replied.
That’s when I realised I’d put it on inside out!
Finally, the week of the wedding arrived.
‘When I come back, I’ll be 
a different person!’ 
I told my workmates.
We arrived at the caravan site in Gretna Green the evening before our ceremony for our joint stag and hen night.
The next morning, the staff were really excited for our wedding.
‘It’s quite rare we get actual elopements these days,’ the registrar told us.
Even without any guests, I was still shaking with nerves before the ceremony in the old Blacksmith’s Shop.
First, David and Sharon acted as witnesses while Allen and I made our wedding vows and signed 
our marriage certificates.
Then we swapped over and we did the same for them.
There was an awning set up outside for our first dance, and Allen and I took to the floor together to Nothing 
Else Matters by Metallica.  
Then the four of us headed to a nearby restaurant to celebrate with a buffet lunch and a bottle of Champagne.
That’s when we rang our families to tell them the news.

'Do you wish I'd told you?'

My son Jamie adored Allen, so he was just as chuffed as I’d hoped he would be.
When I broke the news to Mum, she swore in surprise.
‘Do you wish I’d told you first?’ I asked her.
‘No,’ she said. ‘I’d have 
been sorry to miss it had 
I known. Now I’m just over the moon for you both.’
The following morning, 
us four newlyweds drove to Whitby for our honeymoon.
When we arrived, we 
were greeted with a massive storm. Our caravan was shaking in the wind.
But we put on some 
music and hunkered down for a night of cards, drinks and laughter.
Allen and I couldn’t have asked for anything more from our honeymoon.
Now, five years on, the 
four of us still go away for our anniversary every year and crack open a bottle of Champagne to celebrate.
Getting married might feel grown up, but we’re still just a bunch of big kids at heart!

Planning what to pack for your summer holidays? Whether you’re off on a city break, family getaway or just enjoying the sunshine at home, these easy, affordable outfits from SHEIN’s new vacation collection cover every plan. And the best part? Everything is available to shop online now, all at affordable prices.

For the jam-packed days, the drop boasts plenty of summer dresses, with versatile slip, halter and mini dress silhouettes that can move from daytime sightseeing or a day at the office to dinner with a change of shoes. Alongside them, You’ll find easy, floaty trousers, tops, co-ords and skirts that are perfect for warm weather.

With so many places to go, people to see and outfits to plan, we know you’re short on time. So, we’re here with SHEIN’s super-quick rundown of the trends to know and shop this season. Bookmark this for later – trust us.

Coastal chic

Perfect for packing light, this easy holiday edit is all about simple, comfortable pieces you can throw on and go. Think loose linen-style shirts, relaxed trousers and striped tops that work for sightseeing, beach days or casual dinners. It’s the perfect way to add a little polished chic to your summer looks. Shop the trend on SHEIN now, with plenty of affordable linen-inspired separates and easy layering pieces.

European City Break

Ideal for city breaks and holidays abroad, these easy mix-and-match pieces are made for warm days exploring new places. From simple dresses and matching sets to lightweight separates you can wear again and again and that work for daytime or evening. With pieces designed for an easy holiday wardrobe that doesn’t break the bank, they feature some of your favourite summer 2026 trends, from butter yellow to matching sets, as well as the classics you can wear for years to come.

Sunset Siren

For evenings on holiday, these outfits are a simple way to feel a bit more dressed up without overthinking it. Lightweight dresses, easy co-ords and floaty fabrics that are perfect for warm weather and work well for dinners, drinks or balmy summer nights. The colour palette leans into sunset-inspired tones like warm corals, glowing oranges and deep tropical pinks, that will pair effortlessly with glossy, bronzed skin and a softly tousled up-do. Style with statement jewellery, oversized sunglasses and strappy heeled sandals for the perfect glam finish. Shop the styles on SHEIN for an easy evening holiday wardrobe update.

Tropical

If you like colour and prints, this fun, holiday-ready edit is for you. From swimwear to dresses and accessories, it’s all about bright shades and easy statement pieces that are perfect for packing for a getaway. Available now on SHEIN, you’ll find bold swimwear and statement holiday pieces at accessible prices.

The SHEIN Vacation collection is available to shop online now, with affordable outfits for every kind of holiday, whether you’re travelling abroad or staying closer to home.

SHOP: Take a Break's SHEIN summer clothing picks

Want to shop the trends?

To find everything you’re looking for quickly, SHEIN’s search bar is a handy trick to know about. Just head to the SHEIN app or website, type in a few keywords, and you’ll instantly find lots of styles linked to the trend you’re looking for. It’s a simple way to shop the latest looks without spending ages scrolling.

 
Search #VacayVibe on SHEIN to shop the full collection. 
#SHEINGoesWithEverything #SHEINGoesWithVacay #SHEINTrends