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Mummy, it's me, Lizzie. Mummy: Is that you? You look well. Thus begins an hour-long conversation with my mother who died, aged 94, in August 2014. Of course, it's not real - but very occasionally, disturbingly, if you can suspend your rational disbelief, it does feel like it might be. When it comes to my mum Edna, the emotion is still very raw. I have so many questions, so much guilt, still so much grief that hasn't dissipated. I lost the softest, sweetest, kindest, most selfless woman I have ever met. And I really want her back.

Giovanni Pernice fled to Dubai with his girlfriend Molly Brown this week days before it emerged that he's quit Strictly Come Dancing after nine years on the show.  The dancer, 33, is said to have left the programme because the scrutiny became 'too much' when his ex dance partners slammed his 'militant' approach. Yet he looked calm and at ease on his relaxing getaway, with Molly, 25, documenting the trip in a slew of Instagram posts.  

Graham King, a former caravan park and disco tycoon, is believed to be making £3.5million a day - all from the taxpayer - for accommodating and transporting arrivals due to the UK's migrant crisis. He has amassed a personal fortune of £750million from housing asylum seekers and his holiday parks - making him the 221st richest person in the UK, according to the Sunday Times' annual rich list. Alfie Best - Britain's richest gypsy - has a fortune of £947million, according to the Sunday Times - just weeks after he emigrated to tax haven Monaco and told MailOnline: 'It is no longer Great Britain but Broken Britain'. Some have joked it could be called 'The Rishi List' - after the PM and his wife Akshata Murty's fortune surged by more than £120 million over the past year. 

Harry Styles and Dua Lipa are among a number of celebrities who feature in the first edition of The Sunday Times 40 Under 40 Rich List. The news outlet has also published its annual rich list, which is included in a 76-page special edition of its Sunday magazine, revealing the wealth of the 350 richest individuals and families in Britain

Alison Hammond has sparked engagement rumours after showing off a giant diamond on her ring finger.  The presenter, 49, flashed the sparkler on Friday's episode of This Morning after going public with her toyboy boyfriend, David Putman, 26.  Alison began dating the Russian masseur after she booked him for a £150 massage and the pair hit it off and is said to be 'happier than ever' with David following a 'turbulent love life'.

The family of a one-year-old girl who died after being hit by a Land Rover in a church car park have said they are 'absolutely devastated'. The girl, who has been named as Ivy Mae Ross, died after the incident in a car park on Eigie Road in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, at about 7.45pm on Wednesday. Emergency services attended the scene and Ivy Mae was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where she was pronounced dead a short time later. The 40-year-old man who was driving the Land Rover was uninjured. In a statement Ivy Mae's family said: 'Our beautiful daughter Ivy Mae passed away following a tragic accident after our regular church gathering in Balmedie. We are absolutely devastated and ask that our privacy is respected at this challenging time.

SIR Keir Starmer, never knowingly innovative, unveiled his Blair-tribute pledge card in Essex at an opera-rehearsal space. It ain't over until Emily Thornberry sings? Alas, shadow attorney general Emily was not given a slot, though she eyed the lectern hungrily. Nor did we hear from David Lammy, the Henry Kissinger de nos jours. Mr Lammy sat there looking under-loved. Purfleet railway station swarmed with men in dark suits and red ties. Starmerites dress like Gordon Brown. Soon they'll be issued with the sort of notepads and pencils North Koreans hold when craning to catch Kim Jong Un's every pearl. The pledge card is a paper effort that pulls apart, concertina-style, to reveal its important pronouncements. Its glossy outer shell carries a snapshot of the nasal knight holding in his tummy while doing a Colin-Firth-in-Kingsman pose.

A disabled passenger who was illegally refused an Uber ride with her assistance dog has said she is 'tired' or being discriminated against. Humira Mohamed, pictured with her registered support dog Peanut, left, said she is forced to 'beg' for her rights on a daily basis, with supermarket staff, taxi drivers and restaurant workers unaware that equality laws mean she cannot be turned away because of her dog. The 26-year-old writer this week won a court case brought by Transport for London (TfL) after magistrates ruled Uber driver Jitu Miah (centre) was wrong not to let Miss Mohamed and Peanut get into the back of his vehicle in the early hours of January 22 last year. He was fined £311 and ordered to pay court costs after being found guilty of refusing to carry out a booking for a disabled person accompanied by an assistance dog, contrary to the Equality Act 2010.

Twins Marnie and Mylah, from Burnley, were walking in a park when they thought they would stop for an ice cream. The cost of living has hit many households in the UK, with families having to cut back on non-essentials and making their pennies and pounds count. But the eight-year-olds didn't quite realise how much goods had shot up in price until they arrived at the ice cream van, saw the price and got a big shock.

Remarkable unseen photos of Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret as young mothers are being unveiled to the public for the very first time. The Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography exhibition, which opens today  at The King's Gallery in Buckingham Palace, showcases images including the late monarch, her sister, Princess Alexandra and the Duchess of Kent proudly displaying their newborn babies in a portrait taken by Lord Snowdon in 1964 (left). The charming picture will be displayed along with a handwritten letter from Princess Margaret to her sister, asking her 'Darling Lilibet' to sign a print 'as a souvenir of an extraordinary two months of delivery'. (inset). Kate Middleton is pictured right on her 40th birthday photo.

The model, 38, joined a host of A-list celebrities at the event which took place at the Hard Rock Hotel in Times Square. Chrissy was just one of the four stars that appeared on the magazine's cover for its 60th anniversary - which also included Gayle King , Kate Upton and Hunter McGrady.

We're often led to believe that house prices will always rise over the long-run. That it's one of the safest and soundest investments one can make. Over the last 50 years, the average UK house price has risen from £8,915 in 1974 to £280,660 today, based on the latest Land Registry figures. That represents an average increase of more than 3,048 per cent. If history were to repeat itself and house prices grow by the same levels over the next 50 years, that would mean the average UK home could cost close to £9 million in 2074.

Lorraine Perro, 66, was visited by officers from Nottinghamshire Police who said her garden waste constituted antisocial behaviour and handed her a Community Protection Warning. Ms Perro was left so intimidated by the warning she erected netting on her property to catch any fallen leaves and bark. She claimed the source of the waste is fallen leaves from trees on nearby parkland that she doesn't own. Ms Perro accused Nottinghamshire Police of overstepping their powers, adding it had infringed on her liberties.

Jennifer Lopez liked a scathing Instagram post about 'broken relationships' on Thursday, further fueling rumors of a rift between her and husband Ben Affleck. The singer, 54, hit the like button on the post, created by relationship coach Lenna Marsak, which discussed the challenges of a relationship where there is no 'integrity and respect.' It features several text slides, beginning with, 'You cannot build a healthy relationship with someone who lacks integrity and emotional safety.'  

Dana Abuqamar, 19, a law student at the University of Manchester who said she was 'full of joy' after Hamas launched its attack on Israel, claims the Home Office has revoked her visa on the grounds of 'national security'. Ms Abugamar attended a pro-Palestine protest just one day after Hamas carried out its October 7 attack during which she said she was 'really full of joy' and 'proud that Palestinian resistance has come to this point'. She has now said the Government alleged her 'presence in the UK threatens national security' and the statements she made in support of Palestine 'support extremist views'. Ms Abuqamar, who is in her final year as a law student, said that before coming to Britain she believed 'freedom of expression is a fundamental human right that's cherished here'. She now feels that this right does 'not apply to ethnic minorities, particularly Muslims and Palestinians like myself'.

This is the moment a woman who was sexually assaulted in a terrifying street attack was followed through a city centre. Michael Gallagher, 33, of Westmoreland Street, Darlington, was caught on CCTV following his victim as she walked home in the early hours of June 30 last year.

People from around the world have shared the weird designs they have spotted and Bored Panda collated them into an online gallery. The examples include someone who appeared to go Barbie mad and opted for iridescent kitchen units (pictured left). Another artistic person decided to 'up-cycle' their bathtub and make it into a bizarre table and chairs, while a leather handbag was designed to look like there was a large knife inside of it (pictured bottom right).

As Lady Sarah McCorquodale celebrates 44 years of marriage today, onlookers may wonder if she is reflecting on how different her life could have been. Because Princess Diana 's eldest sister once dated Prince Charles - she went out with the heir to the throne two years before her sister. In fact, Lady Sarah, 69, even introduced Diana to Charles and says she played 'cupid' for the pair. But it was 22-year-old Lady Sarah Spencer, a willowy red-head with a great sense of fun, who first caught Prince Charles's eye at a house party at Windsor Castle for Royal Ascot. Pictured: Lady Sarah enjoying a cigarette in Kensington in 1979 (left); with husband Neil (right); with Prince Charles in 1977 (inset top); on her wedding day in 1980 (inset bottom)

King Charles was beaming on Thursday night as he took to the stage during a one-off gala performance at the Royal Opera House to celebrate out-going Music Director Sir Antonio Pappano. His Majesty, 75, became Patron of the Royal Opera House in 2009 and is a huge fan of the arts, so it's no surprise that he looked in his element enjoying such a poignant tribute to one of the most respected composers in the country. At the end of the evening, Charles was cheered to rapturous applause as he even joined the orchestra onstage to bid farewell to Pappano - in a fitting royal send-off. 

Aerial video shows the jumbo family snoozing on their sides in a tight-knit ring among the bushes in the Tamil Nadu forest in India on May 14. The brown bodies of the five elephants stand out against the dark green shrubs. The animals - sleeping in remarkable similar ways in the long grass, their trunks tucked under their chins and their legs crossed - all vary in size. They appear to have formed a protective ring around a baby elephant that can be seen curled up in the middle of the herd

A chiselled jaw, toned physique or a six-pack so impressive it gives David Beckham a run for his money - these are the attributes most people might imagine when picturing the UK and Ireland's sexiest man. But for the second year in a row, Jeremy Clarkson , 64, has secured the title - beating off a long list of competition from the likes of Tom Holland , Idris Elba and Cillian Murphy. The Clarksons Farm star scored an impressive score of nine out of 10 points in the annual poll conducted by IllicitEncounters, which bills itself as 'the best online dating site for married people'. Having described himself as 'unfit, fat and old' earlier this year, straight-talking Clarkson isn't the obvious choice for 'sexiest man' - but his victory is clearly good news for average blokes everywhere. Since for those looking to channel The Grand Tour presenter's apparent 'sexiness', there's no need to stick to a strict exercise regime, invest in expensive designer gear or ditch alcohol .

Lesley Sewell struggled to contain her emotions at the beginning of Thursday's Horizon IT inquiry proceedings, stumbling over her words (left) as she gave the affirmation ahead of giving evidence. Ex-IT boss Ms Sewell (also pictured right), who left the company in November 2015 after five and a half years, had to be comforted as she vowed 'solemnly, sincerely and truly...that the evidence I give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth'. But she went on to say that Ms Vennells - who handed back her CBE for services to the Post Office following intense public anger after the broadcast of ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office - contacted her several times after she left the firm.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce looked as loved-up as ever as they enjoyed a romantic break to Lake Como, Italy this week - amid a break in the European leg of her The Eras Tour. The superstar singer and the Kansas City Chiefs star, both 34, were seen enjoying an alfresco private dinner date (left) outside a €20,000 a night villa at the five star Grand Hotel Tremezzo - just days after Travis' teammate Harrison Butker was slammed for a ' bigoted and misogynistic' speech quoting the singer's lyrics. The couple - who started dating last summer, were later seen walking down the street arm-in-arm, as Travis planted a kiss on his girlfriend (inset). Taylor held her partner's hand (right) as they spoke intimately before returning to their villa. The star will resume her tour in Stockholm, Sweden at Friends Arena on May 17.

Nicola Coughlan has revealed that Bridgerton made a PG version of the series for her leaving out the racy sex scenes in the show so she could watch it with her Catholic family. The Irish actress, 37, who plays Penelope Featherington in the steamy show, engages in many passionate trysts with Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) in the Netflix show. The cliff-hanger ending of the fourth episode shows the pair locked in a very intimate embrace in the back of a horse-drawn cart.

Kanye West's $2.2 million Calabasas ranch appeared dilapidated and crumbling in shocking new photos of the expansive property - nearly four years after rapper boarded up the home in September 2020.  The Heartless hitmaker, 46 - whose top Yeezy executive recently quit over the brand's move into pornography - initially purchased the residence in 2018, and was used for Sunday Service and his Donda Academy headquarters.  The star had also purchased an additional 300 acres surrounding the property for $4 million. 

Sydney Thomas, 26, was driving over the Clark Memorial Bridge in March when a pickup truck crashed into her and sent her careering over the side of the crossing. Dashcam footage from the truck was played in court on Wednesday as the pickup driver Trevor Branham, 33, appeared in court after being charged. In the footage, the pickup truck can be seen swerving out of its lane to avoid hitting a car that had stalled, before crashing into Thomas.

This is the moment a Good Samaritan reversed his pickup truck into a motorcyclist and ran him over to prevent him from mugging a nurse in broad daylight in Brazil. Surveillance footage showed the suspect going through the woman's cell phone on a sidewalk in the southeastern city of Uberlândia on Tuesday morning. Luciano Campbell drove by and noticed the woman placing her hands on her face in disbelief and drove back with 10 seconds and pulled over to question the suspect.

An unidentified woman was filmed on a doorbell camera swiping the goods from outside a front doorstep on Malmesbury Road in Southampton on Friday, 10 May. Hampshire Police's Neighbourhood Policing Team covering Southampton has now issued an appeal for anyone who may know the thief. In the video, the woman looked down the road to apparently see if the coast was clear before she marched down the path towards the package. She scooped the large package quickly without looking to see what was inside and walked back down the street with it in her hand.