Pick Me Up! Special Summer 2018

We’re big animal lovers here and we couldn’t wait to share the story of Gary and his amazing dog Megan (pg64). Gary was literally dying in his own home when his clever pooch came to the rescue in the most remarkable way. When Lauren was in her hour of need, (pg18) it was complete strangers who rushed to her aid. Emilie’s mum Sharon is hoping that sharing their scary experience might encourage you to help someone else one day by signing up to be an organ donor (pg47). Every proposal is special, but we think you’ll agree that Liz (pg36) is one lucky lady! Her firefighter boyfriend Ally pulled out all the stops for a romantic treasure hunt – the prize was a diamond on her finger. There were big…

Cheers to the happy couple! Massive congratulations to my sister Sarah on her engagement to Matt – the love of her life! I’m so happy for you both and wish you all the happiness in the world. Can’t wait for the wedding! Christine, Southport Fine like a flamingo I bought these plastic flamingos online and they look a treat in my garden. It really gives a summer feel to the place! Leila, Brighton Who's up for a sugar rush? My sister ordered this amazing candy floss milkshake at a café in Bristol recently. It took two of us to finish it and resulted in a massive sugar high, but it was so worth it! Alysssa, Bristol Pretty birthday spoils Thank you to my amazing fiancé for these beautiful roses on…

It's a cat's life Rosco is perfectly capable of jumping onto the bed himself, but he will stare at me for ages waiting for me to scoop him up. Such a lazy boy! Helen, Daventry Finding the perfect spot Sophie has made herself comfy in the corner of the garden. She loves this spot and will sit there for hours. Megan, Tamworth Wearing the kitty cone of shame Poor Mila was stung by a wasp and had to wear this horrible cone for a week. Needless to say I spoilt her rotten. She’s back to her normal self now! Sonja, St Albans…

I’d always imagined that footballers were flashy and over confident, but Chris Mitchell was nothing like that. Watching him playing with our excitable new Labrador puppy, Indy, my heart melted. ‘Isn’t she gorgeous?’ he beamed, rolling around on the floor with her. Chris, 27, was the most generous, warm-hearted man I’d ever met. I’d been single three years before we met in June 2015 through friends. He was a talented footballer who had played for the Scotland under-21s and other clubs before settling at Clyde Football Club. Handsome Chris loved everything about the game, especially playing alongside lads he’d grown up with. We texted for a month and I soon discovered there wasn’t a bad bone in his body. He was funny and devoted to his family, dad Philip, mum…

Whenever I tell people I grew up on a farm, I always get the same … ‘What a lovely childhood you must have had,’ everyone says. Inside, I want to scream. If only you knew! See, all my memories of that time are tainted. I lived on the farm with my parents, grandparents and mum’s brother Arthur. Arthur, who was in his late 20s back then, always made a fuss of me. ‘You’ve got to learn the ropes, kid,’ he’d say, showing me how to milk a cow. One day when I was five years old, I went upstairs into Uncle Arthur’s room. Just a kid, I wanted a cuddle, so I tried climbing onto the bed, but it was too tall. Arthur scooped me up and placed me on…

Switching on my laptop, I stared at the frumpy woman looking back at me, and I barely recognised her as me. A few weeks before, I'd been on a Mediterranean cruise with my husband David, 29. I'd been so unhappy with the clothes I was taking with me, but they were the only ones that fit. And now, the pictures from our holiday were the final straw. ‘I look awful,' I said. Stepping on the scales, I was shocked to find that I weighed 9st 12lb. I knew I wasn't huge, but for my 5ft 2in frame, I was overweight – and unhappy. While working long hours at a bank, my weight had crept up over the years. I hardly ever took a lunch break and would end up snacking…