WEIGH TO GO - An morbidly obese man once 'banned' from takeaways in his hometown has lost a staggering 20 STONE in a year
Image by: Mike Hind
An overweight man once 'banned' from takeaways in his hometown has lost a staggering 20 STONE in a year.
Darren 'Dibsy' McClintock embarked on the epic weight loss journey last October after doctors warned he was "eating himself to death".
In the months since Dibsy, who clocked in at a sizeable 40 stone at his heaviest, has lost half his entire body weight - the equivalent of hulking Hollywood superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger.
This time last year he couldn't walk up the stairs, wear a seat belt, fit in the bath or travel on public transport.
But since turning his life around the 28-year-old has competed in the Great North Run, fought in a charity boxing match and climbed Ben Nevis.
Six weeks ago he went 'official' with a new girlfriend, who he met after receiving messages of support over Facebook.
Dibsy said: "When I look back over the last year and what I have achieved I'm very proud of myself.
"Both physically and mentally I'm in the best place I have ever been, I'm really happy.
"Twelve months ago I had given up on life and thought there was no way back from the weight I had reached.
"Now I'm living the best life I can, it's amazing."
Much of the Middlesborough man's astounding success is down to personal trainer Mike Hind, who has been with Dibsy every step of the way.
They hit the headlines last year when Mike handed out flyers at local fast-food stops with a picture of Dibsy saying 'do not serve'.
It was then Mike set the ultra ambitious goal for Dibsy to lose 20 stone in the space of a year, which he achieved last week with seven days to spare.
Dibsy said: "The last year has been absolutely brutal and a massive challenge.
"There have been lots of really difficult moments and times when I've not wanted to get out of bed in the morning.
"Mike has been there pushing me the whole way though, he's been absolutely incredible."
He added: "When I saw I'd reached my target weight it was a huge relief and a big weight off my shoulders, literally.
Image by: Mike Hind
Image by: Lee Mclean SWNS
Image by: Lee Mclean SWNS
Image by: Lee Mclean SWNS
Image by: Mike Hind
"After working so hard for an entire year it felt great to achieve the goal we had set."
Mike, who runs Mas Body Gym and healthy eating company Macro Based Diner, has provided his expert services to Dibsy free of charge.
The personal trainer has given his prize client up to three one-on-one private sessions per day as well as supplying all his food.
Mike estimates Dibsy's services would have cost a paying customer more than £50,000.
Dibsy said a year ago his day would have started with a full English breakfast before having a pasty and pie with a fizzy drink for lunch.
At dinner time he would have gorged on fish and chips or an Indian takeaway with a large bottle of pop followed by ice cream.
In total he was taking in around 11,000 calories a day, which is enough for a family of six, according to health expert Mike.
Nowadays Dibsy will start his morning with overnight oats before having pasta and vegetables for lunch.
A typical dinner is barbecue chicken with rice.
Mike, who has won two National Fitness Awards, ensures his client takes in around 3,000 calories every day but that he burns up to 1,500 more.
The personal trainer said: "I'm so pleased that we've achieved our goal, I'm like a proud dad.
"Now I want other people to follow Dibsy's lead, that's the message of all this.
"People who think there's no hope should look at Dibsy and realise there is, you can make the same changes."
He added: "But there's no magical pill that will make it happen, it comes down to making the right decisions."
Despite all his achievements this year Dibsy says his greatest one is making his mum, who was scared her son would die, proud.
He said: "The best thing about my weight loss is that it's put a smile on my mum's face.
"She used to worry about me so much and now she doesn't have to, which makes both of us really happy."
He's also over the moon to have started a relationship with girlfriend Jade.
"It's going really well, she's amazing," Dibsy said.
"She's really supportive of my weight loss and she goes to the gym as well, so we have that in common.
"It's really nice to have her in my life."
The next step for Dibsy is undergoing three surgeries to have the excess skin which has been left as a result of the weight loss removed.
He has been signed off by doctors and is hoping to go under knife for the first time in December.
Image by: Steve Chatterley
Image by: Lee Mclean SWNS
I'M BLOODY RARE - Meet the woman who has saved countless lives - because she has the rarest BLOOD type in Britain and is its ONLY donor
Image by: James Dadzitis SWNS
Meet the woman who has saved countless lives - because she has the rarest BLOOD type in Britain - and is its ONLY donor.
Sue Olds, 52, has the incredibly rare blood-type -D- and is the only donor of her kind registered with the NHS.
There are only 110 people in the world with the blood type - and 88 of those live in Japan.
It makes Sue's 46 donations so far especially valuable to the NHS - who have used it to save many lives including a baby.
They also take her blood to freeze for future use when anyone else with -D- are in need.
The NHS Blood and Transplant say if she continues to donate during her lifetime she'll have saved or improved a HUNDRED lives.
Sue, a support from Penzance, Cornwall, said she will continue donating as often as possible.
She said: "I had a phone call back in 2004 to say I had a rare type of blood but other than that not a lot of information came forward.
"Then earlier this year the NHS called me and told me the facts and figures, it's a bit overwhelming.
"I started donating blood in 1994 when I would go down with a group from work, we thought it was a good thing to do.
"Ladies can donate every 16 weeks, I've travelled a bit and you can't donate after visiting certain countries but now I'm back in Cornwall and back on track."
Sue's blood type, -D-, is a variant of the Rhesus blood group system, which means her donations can be given to patients with almost any Rh related types.
While the NHS has donors of other rare blood types, such as McLeod and Hy-, her unique trait sets Sue apart and so she is determined to donate as often as possible.
She continued: "As soon as I've finished I'll be on the telephone booking my next appointment.
"It's just one hour of your day ever four months, it's nothing.
"I know it will benefit people who have been in RTAs, or people who are giving birth for example.
"It's something I would encourage everyone to do."
Image by: James Dadzitis SWNS
Image by: James Dadzitis SWNS
An NHS Blood and Transplant spokesman said her blood has "saved or improved" the lives of dozens of people.
They said if Sue "keeps donating three times a year for life, that’s around 100 lives saved or improved."
They added: "What’s crucial is that for some of those patients, Sue will have been the only donor who could help them.
"No other blood that we have could have been used. For patients with the same type, Sue is our only current donor who can help them.
"No-one else’s blood could be given to some recipients without the risk of a potentially fatal transfusion reaction."
They added: ''We can't say how many people in Britain have her blood type, given how rare the type is.
''Basically, so few people have it, it’s hard to get a precise estimate of prevalence.
"But given only 110 known donors in the world have it, and only 30 people outside of Japan, you’d probably be talking a handful, but we don’t know."
Sue's donations could be used for cancer sufferers and chemotherapy patients, people who have suffered traumatic accidents, and for premature babies.
Back in 2017, two units were issued to a baby, one day after the other, and if it weren't for Sue's donations the patient may not have survived.
Sue continued: "It's a virtually painless procedure, and over the years I've got to know the team that come down to Penzance.
"They are a friendly bunch, I give blood and have a bit of a natter and a catch up with them.
"Some of my blood has gone on to save a baby's life. It's overwhelming, it's very emotional.
"Life is very precious, I think whether it's saving a baby's life of a pensioner's, it makes no difference.
"It's such a small thing that you can do but it's massive for the family of the person you save."
Mike Stredder, director of blood donation for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “We have an increasingly diverse population which means we need increasingly diverse blood donors.
“This can be particularly important in the case of very rare blood types – some types are almost only found in people from certain ethnic backgrounds.
“Our very rare donors like Sue are invaluable and we’re so grateful that she donates. If someone with a very rare blood type falls ill, there may be only a handful of donors in the whole country who can help them, or even just one.
“People from diverse backgrounds are more likely to very rare types and we especially need more black blood donors.”
You can make an appointment to donate blood at www.blood.co.uk
BLADES OF GLORY - Moment a nine-year-old double leg amputee who wears blades shows off her martial arts skills
Image by: Steve Chatterley
This is the amazing moment a nine-year-old double leg amputee who wears blades shows off her martial arts skills - in front of a blown away Taekwondo president.
Maisie Catt perfectly executes a pattern three Sam Jang routine which includes a front kick, middle punch and low block.
The footage was captured by her doting father, Jonathan, 38, a site supervisor, at last month’s World Taekwondo Championships in Manchester.
Image by: Steve Chatterley
Maisie, who is a blue belt, and her family had been invited to attend the event as guests of World Taekwondo President Choue Chung after the pair first met in October last year.
Purely by coincidence, Maisie bumped into the president outside the arena who then proceeded to ask for a demonstration which was caught on film.
Maisie attends classes twice a week at Premier Taekwondo in Birkby near Huddersfield, West Yorks., and competes in Poomsae - which involves performing a set of Taekwondo moves.
She is quickly working her way through the belts and even trains once a month with the GB para Poomsae team although it’s not yet recognised as an Olympic category.
Her amazing progress comes following a difficult start to life when Maisie lost both legs after contracting meningitis as a baby.
Image by: Steve Chatterley
She wore prosthetic legs until she was seven years old when funding for her blades became available through the NHS.
Maisie took up the sport in January last year and her proud mother Sharon, 42, from Mirfield, West Yorks., believes nothing will hold her back
She said: “We were on our way to the event and the president had come outside for a short break which is when my husband started filming.
“It was a coincidence that we bumped into each other. Afterwards, he thanked us for coming to the event and asked how Maisie was getting on.
“She did pattern three which is Sam Jang, it’s one of her favourites. They are really pleased for Maisie and are absolutely blown away.”
Maisie had to have her legs amputated as a baby - one above the knee and one below - due to her blood being poisoned by septicaemia.
Image by: Steve Chatterley
Image by: Steve Chatterley
She took up the sport last year after watching her brother Finlay, six, take part in lessons but has already shown a natural flair.
After just three months, Maisie was asked to attend a training session with the Para-Taekwondo talent pool and now trains with the squad once a month.
Para-Taekwondo is an adaptation of the sport for athletes with an impairment.
Since Maisie was given blades, Sharon believes her daughter’s life has been "turned around".
She added: “Back when she was a baby after she had lost her legs, the thought of taking part in a martial part was definitely not in the top ten things we thought she would have done.
“When she goes to classes it’s amazing to see. She is treated like everyone else and just gets on with it. There is no special treatment which I think is a good thing.
“She can only do non-contact sparring, but she always had a new target to work towards.
“Nothing is stopping her, she is a determined young girl and I’m sure she will get her black belt. I don’t think it matters how long it takes, she will do it.
Image by: Steve Chatterley
"She is a double amputee, to me it’s fantastic. To see Maisie love something so much is absolutely brilliant.
"She just wants to inspire other people. She wants others like her to go try anything.
"Anybody can do anything they set their mind too, in spite of any difficulties."
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art with speciality head-height kicks, jumping and spinning kicks, and fast kicking techniques.
Competitors wear white robes and compete in sparring, breaking boards and self-defence techniques.
Video by: Jonathan CattVideo by: Sarah Mundy
Age gap couple proud of their successful marriage- despite having over three decades between them
Video by: Ashley Moran 
Image by: James Linsell Clark SWNS
A devoted husband and wife who wed when he was just 17 and she was 51 are due to celebrate 18 years of marriage - despite family and friends saying it would not last.
Teenager Jay Barham and divorced, mum-of-two Linda fell head over heels in love in 2000 despite their staggering 31 year age gap.
The loved-up couple wed the following year after a whirlwind romance which shocked many of their close friends and relatives.
Now Jay, 36, and Linda, 69, are due to celebrate 18 years of marriage in July with both insisting they are 'more in love than ever.'
Jay said; "Linda has been called a child snatcher, I've been called a granny basher.
"We've been called names in the street, and sometimes people think she is my mum.
"But we don't care what people say.
"Our marriage has lasted a lot longer than many others and we are still very much in love."
Jay was a trainee youth worker when he first met council youth worker Linda.
The couple say they were instantly attracted and bonded during driving lessons she gave him and through their love of music.
Jay added: "For eight weeks she was helping me learn how to drive.
"And then one time a track just started playing and we just kissed.
"For the life of me I can't remember which one but it had to be Elton John because he's our favourite.
"It was completely unspoken up until that point, but as it happened it was like the sun just came out and it was a shock to both of us."
It took Jay, who had had three previous serious girlfriends before Linda, three days to get over the shock of the kiss before asking her out on a date.
At the time Linda, from Hardcourt, Essex, was concerned for the feelings she felt for a boy the same age as her son Simon.
She said: "I just thought: 'this is wrong', I felt awful.
"But I was divorced for five years, my children were all grown up and knew that it just felt right"
Linda's children Alan (13) and Simon (17) were "shell shocked" at the idea of the relationship but decided that "as long as mum happy, nothing else matters."
For Jay's parents, who were over a decade younger than his new girlfriend, they thought it was just a flash in the pan.
Jay said: "They were okay about it, they just thought: 'Oh well it will last if it lasts.'
"We were more worried about how my nan would react, but she was fantastic about it."
In spite of doubtful friends that were certain the relationship would never workout, Jay and Linda got married eight months after meeting in July 2001.
Jay said: "We got married at Colchester Registry office on Friday the 13th, and everyone told us that we shouldn't as it was an unlucky day.
"And then my suit didn't fit, our car broke down, the ring didn't fit and it got to the point that I'd just wear trackies and a top"
Linda said: "We were happy to get a bus to the wedding, but our family stepped in and sorted us out"
Jay and Linda have worked together for most of their married lives at an Asda bakery and are now opening a small cafe together near their home in Hardcourt, Essex.
Image by: Adam Harnett
Image by: James Linsell Clark SWNS
Image by: Adam Harnett
Jay's mother Valerie, who died in 2014, was 12 years younger than Linda but the two were still extremely close.
He said: "Linda and my mum gelled really well, there were absolutely no problems.
"My dad has a really good relationship with Linda, he actually describes her as 'the daughter he never had'.
"We all go on holiday together and we're incredibly close."
In fact, bemused onlookers always mistake that Jay's dad Stephen and Linda as his parents.
"Of course people always think I'm their child and they're my parents, but we just laugh at it.
"It's understandable, all sorts of people ask all sorts of questions.
"But I've never thought about age, I just think about the woman I love."
Jay and Linda are un-bothered by people's comments about their extreme age gap.
Jay said "People have said horrible things to us in the street.
The couple have even had their car windows smashed in what they assume to be an attack on their marriage.
Jay said: "We just got on with it, even now people frown on it.
"I always reply to people like that asking how many divorces they've had.
"Most marriages have all split up, regardless of their age."
Linda thinks there is some hypocrisy in judging older woman more so than older men that have young partners.
"If it's a man then you're doing well for yourself, but then if you are a woman then you're disgusting and frowned upon.
"We just love each other, we haven't done this for fame or for money, we just love and think about each other."
When the couple first got married, Linda was still able to have children but Jay was never keen in being a parent.
"I never wanted to be a father, I'm one of those people that just keep the toys to myself.
"I'm just not the parent type, I much prefer having grandchildren as you get to give them back."
Linda has seven grandchildren between the ages of four weeks and 18 years-old.
Jay says that he never thinks about the likelihood Linda will die before him: "I treat everyday as my last so there's no point in worrying about numbers.
"Personally the biggest positive about being married to an older woman is the civility, being able to speak about feelings and not pushing them under.
"We have adapted our lives [for Linda's age] for example instead of walking ten miles we'll go for a ride in the car."
Although they have adapted their lives in some aspects, they certainly haven't changed anything in the bedroom."
Jay wasn't a virgin when he starting Linda and he described himself as "well experienced."
"You don't just stop having sex when you reach 65.
"She still haves that drive, I don't know why people think you die sexually at 50."
The secret to a happy marriage, according to Jay, is simply about loving one another.
"I think it's spending so much time together, we love each other and we do everything together.
"The only think we argue about is the cat, and even then we never go to bed without sorting everything out."
Great-gran who risked her life for a facelift is so pleased with the results she's saving to go under the knife again
Video by: Paul Davey
A great-gran who risked her life for a facelift is so pleased with the results she's saving to go under the knife again.
Toni Goldenberg became one of the oldest people in the country to have a lower face lift, ridding her of a dreaded 'turkey neck' and making her look years younger.
The 80-year-old said it was like a dream come true when she looked in the mirror for the first time after the her three-and-a-half hour procedure and saw "the old woman had gone."
She began saving her pension five years ago for the £10,000 procedure and has already began putting money away in her giant Coca Cola bottle for an upper face lift.
Toni, from Wallington in south London, said: "I feet absolutely fantastic. It's like a dream come true.
"The old woman has gone and I hope she doesn't come back.
"When I look in the mirror, I thought I looked like a completely different person.
"But now I just see me and I forget what I looked like before.
"My neck and jowls made me look cross and miserable but now I look fresh and happy.
"You could not ask for anything better, especially at my age."
Image by: Paul Davey
Doctors warned Toni could be left partially paralysed or even die from surgery and that the risks of general anaesthetic were much greater at her age.
But she was determined to fulfil her long-held dream and told doctors "at least I would look good in my coffin."
She said: "I was told that I could die or that half of my face could be paralysed but I was willing to take that chance at my age.
"There is no use worrying if you are going to die - you go out onto the street and get run over or die at any moment.
"I understood the risks but I told the doctor 'at least I would look good in my coffin.'"
Toni, who was widowed 46 years ago, underwent extensive tests to evaluate her suitability for surgery and assessed her medical history, general health and level fitness.
She also faced a risk of poor wound healing and even tissue necrosis - where skin cells break down and die.
Toni said: "I was not really that nervous before the operation.
"When they put me on the operating table, I started to think about it all but then the anaesthetist said he was going to give me some drugs.
"I didn't have time to think or worry it and the next thing I remember was waking up in bed after the op.
"Everybody at Harley Street was fantastic, I couldn't recommend them enough."
Image by: Jon Mills
Image by: Jon Mills
Toni went under the knife at the world renowned Harley Street Skin Clinic on February 15.
While she insisted she is "too old for romance" Toni's new fresh look has done wonders for her confidence and she is set to start yoga and gym classes.
She said: "I am too old to get back in the dating game but I would consider going out for a nice meal with somebody and sharing a man's company.
"I feel much more confident and plan to go to the gym every day except for Tuesdays when I look after my great-granddaughter."
Toni, who has two great-grandchildren, saved for the £10,000 op by putting all her loose change in a giant Coca-Cola bottle.
She filled her "face lift fund" with spare pennies from her pension before starting again with pound coins and again with only £5 notes.
Toni is now saving for a £6,000 upper face lift which she expects to have before the age of 85.
She said: "I am already using my Coca Cola bottle - I was saving for some new clothes but I will have to go to the charity shop for them now.
"I look in the mirror now and I see the baggy eyes so I'm saving up again to have the area around my eyes and forehead lifted - that will be another few years.
"My friends said it's the best thing I've ever done and they have already chipped in towards my next face lift."
Six weeks on from surgery, the Harley Street team are impressed by Toni's "extraordinary" and speedy recovery.
Image by: Jon Mills
Image by: Paul Davey
Lesley Reynolds, co-founder of Harley Street Skin Clinic, said: "Toni surprised us all by her swift recovery from the surgery which is a testament to her tremendous energy and force of life.
"Her general health is such that she bounced back very quickly after the operation - her bruising and swelling were minimal.
"This is in part due to the skills of our surgeon Mr Hagen Schumacher and the anaesthetist, but also perhaps down to Toni's general health.
"Usually people of Toni's age have some sort of health issues that would increase the risk of a general anaesthetic to the point of it not being advisable to have cosmetic surgery."
Surgeon Mr Schumacher told Toni that the results will continue to improve over the next year.
Toni said: "After the surgery, I had a bit of swelling for a few days but no pain at all – it was brilliant.
"It will take a year for it to be completely healed so it will just keep getting better.
"The surgeon was really, really good and I would recommend him to anybody."
The great-grandmother began dreaming of having cosmetic surgery in her 20s when she noticed wrinkles appearing on her face.
She has always worked hard to maintain a size ten and had hoped she would take after her mother, who had "barely any wrinkles" before she died aged 84.
But as she grew older, Toni felt her face no longer matched her body.
She said: "I expected my skin would age in the same way as my mum but it didn't.
"I had wanted it done for decades and decades - I would read about it in the papers and I did a lot of research."
She added: "People won't tell you if they've had a face lift - they don't talk about it but I think people should.
"It has made an awful lot of difference to my confidence and I feel a lot better about myself - I don't even wear make up.
"I'm so pleased with it - it looks natural rather than having that drawn, wind-swept look.
"I can't wait to have the area around my eyes and brows lifted to match."
Giant lizard which was banned from a park is now allowed to enter on condition his owner keeps him on a lead
Video by: Ashley Moran
A dad-of-one has been ordered to keep his huge pet lizard on a LEAD while walking it in a park – after it scared other dogs.
Gary Smith, 54, was originally banned from taking his black-throated monitor called Thor out for a stroll after a string of complaints.
Dozens of dog owners and park users said they were worried the three-stone 5ft-long critter would attack their pets or even injure children.
But town hall chiefs agreed to lift the ban if Gary agreed to keep Thor on a lead while in Markeaton Park, Derby.
Gary bought Thor ten months ago to go with his collection of 31 snakes, six lizards and seven spiders which he keeps at his home in Sinfin, Derby.
Image by: Steve Chatterley
The lorry driver said: "I had reached an agreement with the council to say it's ok to walk as long as he is on a lead, just like a dog.
"I mainly walk him for exercise and fresh air.
"Also I just like to let people see him and maybe experience touching him.
"He can run really quickly and he wouldn't just run in a straight line.
"He'd be all over the place, it would be like trying to catch a chicken.
"He could do a lot of damage, his claws could slice your arm or head open.
"But that would be very out of character.
"Thor has a really cool temperament, he's not aggressive.
"When he's had enough, he'll whip his tail around.
Image by: Steve Chatterley
"Some people get scared and thing all reptiles will do is bite and scratch you.
"But I want to show that is not the case.
"I tend to walk Thor in the summer time and basically when the weather is good.
"He loves the trees and water in the park, he likes to get his claws into the trees.
"He eats braising steak about four times a week, he'll eat rats and fruit.
"He weighs about three stone and is about five foot nine inches tall.
"He's a strong lad.
"He gets more active when his temperature gets warmer, so when it's colder he's not
that active.
"He's friendly and is used to being touched and handled.”
Image by: Steve Chatterley
Mum who had still born twins and fell into a coma because of a rare liver condition was given a new organ - and now has a new baby
Image by: Louise Prashad
A mum who had stillborn twins and fell into a coma because of a rare liver condition was given a new organ - and now has a new baby.
Louise Prashad, 25, suffered the tragic double blow after being struck down with an often fatal condition during her first pregnancy.
Her 'acute fatty liver of pregnancy' saw her wake from a coma to be told her twins had been stillborn.
Mia and Leo were stillborn at 37 weeks - something Louise did not know about until she woke up three weeks later.
Louise thought she would never have another child - and only survived thanks to a liver transplant donated by a woman in her 50s.
It was found by medics in eight hours after Louise was escalated to number one on the European organ register.
Louise was wracked with grief following the death of the twins and practically gave up all hope of ever being a mother again.
Her reluctance was down to the one in four chance of the 'acute fatty liver' condition reoccurring during another pregnancy.
But after making the brave decision to try for another baby with her now husband Max, 30, who works in a restaurant, she fell pregnant with Ava following a year wait.
Louise wasn’t convinced little Ava, who is now one, would be born alive until being welcomed into the world on March 20, 2018.
She said: “I never thought I would have another child. When I decided I wanted to try again, I had to wait over a year because the medication I was on was really harmful.
“We started trying and it took a year and a half. I finally fell pregnant with Ava but it was the most nerve-wracking pregnancy. I really struggled to enjoy it.
“When you are pregnant, the slightest little thing can set your nerves going but I was on tenterhooks constantly.
“I didn’t believe she was going to be here alive until I gave birth. I wasn’t allowed a natural birth, I had to have a planned cesarean to make sure she was here safely.
“The minute I saw her and heard her cry I thought ‘she is actually here and I can stop doubting myself’.
“She is the spitting image of Mia and Leo, the similarities are so strange - the dark hair, same colour eyes, olive skin, cute button nose.”
After the birth of Ava, Louise’s first thoughts were of her son and daughter and of the woman who had donated the organ.
She wrote a letter to the donor’s family to let them know where their mum’s organ had gone and what Louise had achieved thanks to the woman in her 50s.
Louise fell pregnant with twins Mia and Leo in August 2015 aged 21 while taking a degree in law and having only been with her then-boyfriend, Max for six months.
Image by: Louise Prashad
Image by: Louise Prashad
She had a difficult pregnancy and then began to suffer from extreme fatigue, sickness and abdominal pain in the months before her due date.
Louise was rushed to hospital after vomiting two pints of blood before slipping into unconsciousness following complications with her pregnancy.
Medics later discovered Louise had been struck down with potentially fatal 'acute fatty liver of pregnancy' which affects one woman in 10,000 and meant Mia and Leo were 'born sleeping'.
She bears a scar across her stomach from the emergency transplant and caesarean. Louise sees these scars as a stark reminder of her survival and gift of life but also the devastation that she experienced.
Louise underwent a liver transplant while she was unconscious and had a very slim chance of survival
After waking up she could not remember the months leading up to her illness due to delirium.
Whilst recovering in the hospital, Lousie had to be told the devastating news that her twins had passed away.
Louise, who works for City of York Council, said: “Mum came in and broke the news that Mia and Leo weren’t here anymore. I screamed the place down.
“That’s when it all felt real and my brain came round to the idea they weren’t there anymore.
“It was the most traumatic experience of my life. I somehow found this inner strength that I needed to get better to ensure they had the best send off possible. They deserved so much more than the hand they were dealt.
“It was all about them and trying to celebrate what little life they had. I was numb.”
Louise had to learn to walk and write again, but once she left intensive care, managed to visit the chapel of rest and spend some time with Mia and Leo before the funeral.
Louise and her husband Max, of Holgate, York, have since raised £800 for a remembrance bench in Rowntree Park in honour of Mia and Leo and other families who have experienced child loss.
She said: “April 25 will be Mia and Leo’s birthday, so we’re hoping to get the bench in place by then. I was trying to think of something positive I could do.
“The last few years have been a whirlwind of emotion and grief, that never really stops.
“I wanted something in our home city we could visit with Ava on special occasions when we need some time out to think about them, or having a hard day.
“Somewhere we could go that’s a memorial and not a grave.
"I cannot even begin to explain how perfect my children were, I still think about them everyday. The pain never fades."
Louise is still undergoing counselling and physiotherapy to improve her mobility but is determined to make her children proud by raise awareness of organ donation and liver conditions in pregnancy.
She said: “Awareness of liver conditions in pregnancy is very low key. More needs to be done to educate the general public.
“Itchy skin, abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin, excessive thirst, tiredness, bleeding gums are all symptoms.
“I think if you are willing to receive an organ, then you should be willing to donate.
“I was on the organ donor register before but I didn’t give it a moment’s thought, it was just something I ticked on my driving application but it is so much more than that. You are saving someone's child, someone's mother, the love of someone's life."
“It was through no fault of my own that I found myself in that situation and if there had not have been a donor available I wouldn’t be here and my husband would have lost three people that day.”
In the last three years, Louise has continued to exude strength and is now trying to use her experiences to benefit other families.
Friends and family are running York 10K in memory of Mia, Leo and organ donors and all funds raised will be donated to local organ donation charities.
To donate towards the memorial fund, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/miaandleoyork10k.
Image by: Louise Prashad
Catholic school pupils were hospitalised after "more than 100" suffered burned foreheads while taking part in an Ash Wednesday assembly
Image by: Steve Chatterley
Parents at a catholic school say "more than 100" kids suffered burns while having ash crosses smudged onto their foreheads during an Ash Wednesday assembly.
At least two children from St Augustine’s Catholic High School were taken to hospital following the religious event.
Parents said the ritual was performed by a priest and two older children and was stopped half way through when kids complained of "tingling".
One concerned grandparent said more than 100 kids were burned - and parents are considering legal action against the school in Redditch, Worcestershire.
A parent who took her son to hospital for treatment said medics told her it was a chemical burn that would likely leave a scar.
Traditionally the ash for the ceremony comes from leaves burned in last year's Palm Sunday services.
But a grandparent said "toxic" ones had been used this time.
Mum Cassena Brown, 39, said her son Chairo Rowe, 14, was badly burned in the ceremony, had to be taken to hospital and has been off school for two days.
She said: "I am absolutely furious.
"They started with the year nine and it was the priest and two sixth form children - a boy and a girl.
"That's the first thing that confused me when I heard about it. Why are children doing it to other children?
"After a while some of the children said that it had started to burn. Some of the teachers said it did as well.
"Some of them rubbed it off straight away, but some left it on.
"The children who left it on complained it was burning and some were given a wet wipe to wipe it off.
"But when some of the kids wiped it off, it ripped the skin off as well.
"It was red raw. They should have been sent to a medical professional, not given a perfumed wet wipe."
Delivery driver Cassena said all parents were sent a text message saying some children had been left with an "irritation" after the Ash Wednesday assembly.
She said the message said the parents of the most severely affected children would get a call - which Cassena did - and she came to pick up her son early.
"I saw other children walking out with their parents, with red marks - like a heat rash almost - on their foreheads," she said.
"But when I saw my son I was gobsmacked.
"My son was the worst of everyone. Because he is of Afro-Caribbean heritage you can see the burn very clearly, as the skin is burned and it's white underneath."
She said doctors at Alexandra Hospital said it was a chemical burn and recommended keeping the wound clean with cold water.
"It continued to burn throughout the night," she said.
"It was red hot. He won't go to school.
"He's embarrassed. Last week he had girls at school saying he was cute, now he has a burn on his face."
A grandfather of another burned child, who did not want to be named, said "over 100 children were damaged".
He added: "They are anointed with a cross on the forehead.
"The medium used was a mixture of palm oil and ash from burned leaves.
"They must have picked a toxic leaf as the results in most cases were burns on the forehead resulting in hospital admissions for many children.
"The parents are contemplating legal action."
The Christian Ash Wednesday ritual involves receiving a mark of ashes on the forehead as a token of penitence and mortality.
Parents at the school gates today (Fri) said some burned children were sent home.
One dad, who has a daughter at the school, said: “I think it was basically the first year students in school who were affected.
“It’s terrible really."
A mum said: "A load of the kids had to go home after they got burned."
Another mum added: "My daughter said something had happened and some kids got burned on the forehead.
“We are not Catholic so my daughter would not have taken part."
St Augustine’s Catholic High School said the ash was provided by a priest from the Diocese of Birmingham, which sourced it from a company in Aldridge.
Head of school Gerald O'Connor said he didn't know how many children were affected - but it was less than the estimate of "more than 100" given by parents.
He said he didn't know how many children were taken to hospital, but said some teachers were burned too.
A spokesperson for the school said: "During the Ash Wednesday service, it came to our attention that some discomfort was experienced by students that had received the ashes on the forehead.
"As a result all students were requested to wash the ashes off immediately to ensure no further discomfort was felt.
"We are aware that some students had a reaction to the ashes from the parish, for which medical advice has been sought.
"Parents are being kept informed and the school will carry out a full investigation as to why the ashes may have caused this reaction on this occasion."
Mr O'Connor added: "There were a number [of students] that we advised to seek medical attention. We've asked parents to keep us informed as to whether they did or not.
"We dealt with the issue immediately. Obviously health and safety is our primary concern.
"Some teachers were affected. We advised them to seek medical attention as well.
"We source our ashes from an external provider. We know there are processes to follow, and that is under investigation. We have asked for that investigation to happen. We want to get to the bottom of it."
Watch jaw-dropping moment huge meteor lights up night sky as it crashes towards Earth
Video by: Jessica Waters 
Image by: Simon Galloway
This is the jaw-dropping moment a huge METEOR lit up the night sky as it crashes towards Earth.
The incredible footage was filmed by a police car’s dash cam during a routine patrol in Maryland, USA.
Cops in Ocean City were driving along 130th street at around 11am on Tuesday (April 16) when the meteor burst through the earth’s atmosphere.
The clips shows the firey meteor career down from space to put on a breathtaking display.
It was filmed in Ocean City, on 130th Street, by Ocean City police patrol officer, Nathan Kutz.
PFC Kutz had been asked by a resident of the community to carry out extra patrols in that area after raising safety concerns to the force.
Ocean City Police Department have dash cams installed on their patrol vehicles in their constant fight against crime.
But on this rare occasion, PFC Kutz was able to use his to film this “incredible display”.
A spokesperson for Ocean City Police Department said: “Just before midnight, the meteor flew through the sky and was captured on PFC Kutz dash cam.
“We are used to our dash cams catching the bad guys but the fact that it caught this beautiful display of science is incredible.”
Meteors - also known as shooting stars - typically hit speeds of up to 45,000mph when they enter the earth’s atmosphere.
As they head towards the surface of the earth they create a streak of light caused by aerodynamic heating.
Meteors become visible between about 75 to 120 km above Earth and vary in size and composition.
Image by: Simon Galloway
Astonishing moment free runners ride on top of a TRAIN in London for a stunt
This is the astonishing moment two adrenaline junkies rode on the top of a moving London TRAIN.
The daredevils can be seen running towards a Docklands Light Railway station before racing up to the platform and jumping on the outside of the final carriage.
A video shows the masked pair then hoisting themselves to the top of the driverless train and "surfing" it out of West Silvertown Station in London.
Go-Pro footage shows the men leaping between the carriages, and bracing themselves against the wind on top of the train which can reach speeds of 50mph.
As it pulls into the next station - understood to be Canning Town - the two men race to the end of the train before leaping onto the platform and racing out the exit.
One of the men, who would not be named, said the stunt took place last week.
The 21-year-old said: “It was just fun.
“The ride between stations was probably about two minutes but it felt like an eternity.
“When we arrived at the next stop people were shouting for us to ‘get down’ which is understandable as for a normal person this is unimaginable.
“Most of them say that we have a death wish.
“I don’t regret doing it.
“It’s all about your attitude and how you time it.
"We knew we could never do it on the underground so this was the next best thing.
“We couldn’t during rush hour and if we left it too late it would have been kids coming back from school."
A spokesman for the British Transport Police has been contacted for comment.
