Pick Me Up! Special Spring Special 2017

It's hats off to spring this month, as our mag heralds the start of the new season. This kitty's delightful jester-style titfer ( p54 ) gives a jovial welcome to the lighter nights. Lianne and Greyson will be seeing in the spring with smiles ( p26 ) after she bravely opted for a double mastectomy, reducing her risk of developing hereditary breast cancer, so she can be around for her little lad. After being nearly suffocated by her super-tight wedding dress ( p42 ), Shelley is keen to show off her new slimline size-12 figure in skimpy dresses. In contrast, Kat will be proudly displaying her size-18 assets ( p32 ) after winning Ms British Beauty Curve taught her to love her body. Meanwhile, Kelly will be savouring every step…

Ready… steady... No! This is me trying to get my little girl ready to visit my granddad in hospital while I have my toddler on my head… and people wonder why it takes me ages to get ready! Paige Franks, Staffordshire What do you call a rabbit with fleas? Bugs bunny! Say what?! We say… Doesn’t it feel good to give the house a proper spring clean? We mean… Ugh, why did we even start pulling things from drawers? There’s no going back now! Top bun This is my daughter, Ivy, with her first teddy – the Easter bunny! Michelle Slinn, Derbyshire When do monkeys fall from the sky? During Ape-ril showers! Sand ahoy! My daughter, Arielle, loves the sandpit at our local farm. Gemma Carrick, Sunderland CUDDLE CORNER Wool-d…

FLOORED! Sort out stubborn stains and save yourself a few bob at Morrisons where you can pick up a Stain Devils Survival Kit for £3.25, saving you 75p. Offer on 5 April-2 May. FIT FOR A KING Have two Whoppers or Royales for £4 until 20 April with this coupon from www. vouchercodespro.co.uk/  burger-king Top mop Save a quid on a Torison bucket and wringer – normally £6.49 – when you buy a new Vileda SuperMocio 3 Action Mop for £5.49. The offer is on until 31 May at Asda, B&Q, Dunelm, Homebase and Morrisons among others. Wine time Pop over to SPAR 16 March-12 April for a bottle of Rose d’Anjou, which is £5 instead of £7. Save £3 on this bottle of…

‘I'd lost count of how many lagers he'd gulped down’ Giggling in my friend Lauren’s bedroom, I fiddled with her make-up collection. She was on the phone to a boy she knew, Sean Ralph. At 17, he was three years older than us. ‘Here, talk to Sean,’ she said, thrusting her mobile into my hands. ‘H-h-hello?’ I stammered, mortified. ‘You must be Toni, I’ve heard all about you,’ Sean teased. Within minutes, I was doubled over with laughter. He was so easy to talk to. Soon Lauren was gesturing for her phone back. ‘Add me on Facebook, yeah?’ Sean said, hanging up. Back at home, I sent him a friend request. He accepted, and a message popped into my inbox. Hello again, he typed. We talked online almost every day.…

‘I kissed goodbye to plates piled with sausage and eggs’ Gliding down the aisle, I felt like a princess. Ruched and strapless, with a full skirt scattered with Swarovski crystals, my gown was perfect. As was my soon-to-be husband, Flam, 40. Seeing the way he looked at me, as we stood in front of family and friends at St Thomas and St Luke Church in Dudley, I had never felt so beautiful. Then I saw the wedding snaps... ‘I look like a whale in a dress!’ I cried to Flam, horrified. How had I been so deluded? Everyone must have been laughing at me on our wedding day, in August 2013. Not to mention the honeymoon. I’d been too busy basking in married life, and in the sunshine, to think…

‘I looked like an extra from Michael Jackson's Thriller’ ‘As time went on, I became used to the stares and whispers’ There was no pain at first. Just a numb, heavy feeling. A feeling that, somehow, my whole life had changed in an instant. I could hear the beeping of machines, people talking in urgent tones. Blurry faces peering down at me. But I couldn’t talk or move. The memories came back to me in flashes. The sunlight glinting on my window as I drove along, not a care in the world. The wheels of my Honda Civic spinning as I struggled to keep control. The violent jolt and smash as I collided with the central reservation of the dual carriageway. Slamming into concrete. What had I done? It was…