Female builder Katie Stamps, 21, who is also a beauty queen

A 21-year-old construction site worker has swapped her hard hat for a tiara after being crowned a beauty queen champion to reach the finals of MISS ENGLAND.

Stunning Katie Stamps is more at home wearing high vis jackets than ball gowns due to her job working on building sites.

But last month the 5ft 9in beauty swapped the construction site for the catwalk to scoop the title of Miss Birmingham.

Katie, from Kidderminster, Worcs., beat off 19 other rivals on April 27 to take the crown sending her through to the Miss England finals next month.

She said she decided to enter herself in the pageant to bring a bit of glamour into her life after spending most of her days in temporary cabins on building sites.

Katie, whose measurements are 34-26-38, said: “I’m always in hard hats and high-vis jackets. I really love construction and I want more girls to get into it.

“It’s a shame it’s seen as such a man’s world and I find it very rewarding.

“I stumbled across the application online and thought it looked fun, and would be a good confidence boost to swap by hard hat for high heels.

“I never expected to win. My other half is away a lot so I thought it would be good to do something for me.

“Obviously it was so different from what I am used to. Being in the construction industry isn’t very ladylike and not very glamourous.

“Then when my name was called out  meaning I had won I was so shocked I couldn’t move.

“The other contestants had to push me back out to the stage. I couldn’t believe it.

• Blonde shop assistant, 22, lives a double life as a FAIRY called Tinkerbell

“People had suggested I tried modelling because of my height but I never pursued it as I’m happy with my current job.

Katie with other girls as she wins the final of Miss Birmingham

“The men at work have been great and were very supportive of me winning. They think it’s quite funny.

“I would be happy to take it all the way though, I have been automatically entered into Miss England in June so I will see what happens with that.”

Katie was crowned Miss Birmingham following a glitzy competition at the city’s Crescent Theatre.

The process involved fund-raising for her nominated charity Variety Children’s Club, and an interview where  contestants had to say how they would use the role of Miss Birmingham.

The girls paraded on stage in four outfits: an eco-dress they had made themselves, sportswear, an evening gown and a party dress.

Katie was supported on the night by her mum, Alex, 41, and step-dad, Steve Hall, 41, who were in the audience with two friends.

She has been an office manager for construction company Stepnell since she was 17-years-old.

Katie, who lives with boyfriend Peter Gibbs, 33,  added: ‘In my job I don’t have much opportunity to look very glamorous but  I love being able to get my hair done – it makes a nice change from being on the building site.”

Miss England competition director Angie Beasley said: “It is fantastic news that we are getting girls of this calibre through into the competition.

“I know when I was doing the competitions myself it was all about becoming a model.

“The fact the competition is attracting girls from all different backgrounds is great because is raises the competition and shows that girls want to so much more these days.”

Stunning 6ft Blonde Ashley Crane, 22, who will compete in Miss England after an injury ruined her rugby career

Art teacher Ashley Crane is a picture of beauty as a Miss England contestant – after her promising RUGBY career was cut short by injury.

The scrummy 22 year-old dreamed of sporting fame when she shone at university and in a Dubai 7s tournament.

The stunning 6ft blonde was tipped as a future star of the womens’ game until a serious shoulder injury forced her to quit.

Ashley left Loughborough University as a qualified teacher and now works at St John’s School in Leatherhead, Surrey.

Last week she swapped her rugby boots for stilettos as she entered her first beauty pageant – and walked away with the Miss Surrey crown.

The title puts her in the running for the Miss England national contest next month.

Ashley, from Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, said: “It was weird because I was a tomboy and had my head in the game for so long. I thought I had lost my grace.

“I always had the same dress I would chuck on for special events and I’d do my hair

“I’d never get glammed up but you do pageants and you realise how important that is for a girl.

“I loved it from the beginning, you are with all the girls and they were all so chilled out.

“I was over the moon when they called my name at Miss Surrey. I just couldn’t believe it.

“Now I am just buzzing for Miss England, I can’t wait.

“There are a few obstacles before the competition but I just have to train well and get the right nutrition.”

• Down and dirty! Miss England hopefuls get tested at a Tough-Mudder style BOOT CAMP
• Female builder, 21, swaps hard hat for tiara in finals of Miss England

Ashley had always been sporty but only started playing rugby when she was 17 and scored two tries on her debut for a local team.

She picked up the sport at university and was thrown straight into the first team and took part in the Dubai 7s tournament in summer 2012 as part of a social team.

Ashley playing rugby when she was a student

Ashley when she won the Miss Surrey beauty contest

Her side reached the semi-finals where they were beaten by the Kazakhstani national team.

But it was Ashley’s last tournament as she injured her right shoulder at trials for the Midlands.

She faced the choice of spending #6,000 on a private op or two years on the NHS waiting list and reluctantly gave up the game.

Ashley added: “When I first started my mum really didn’t want me to play and I didn’t realise I had the potential to be good.

“The Dubai 7s massively encouraged me to play professionally. I took so much pride in the fact I was good at what I was doing.

“You get bashed about a lot and you just deal with it. It is an old school mentality of just getting on with it.

“I basically took the tackle and I went down on my shoulder. I thought it was a dead arm at first but it was actually torn tissue.

“It is something that can be repaired with keyhole surgery and some pins but it’s either a two year wait on the NHS or #6,000 if you go private.

“I didn’t have the money or savings to drop in to and I didn’t want to wait around for the surgery.

“The first two months were some of the hardest of my life but then I decided to put it all behind me.”

Friends persuaded a reluctant Ashley to take to the catwalk and she she was stunned when she was hand-picked from more than a hundred hopefuls to be named Miss Surrey.

If she wins the Miss England competition she could be set to win #25,000, a trip to Mauritius and a place in Miss World.

Ashley is fundraising for Beauty with a Purpose, a charity that helps childen in poverty around the world.

She has already completed a 120 mile day-long bike ride and donations can be made at www.virginmoneygiving.com/AshleyCrane

Meryl Desborough, 28, has the body of an 80-year-old granny with saggy boobs and saggy skin

I stood in front of the mirror staring at the loose skin hanging from my body. I knew I needed to get dressed quickly before my fiancé Luke saw me. ‘Meryl are you ready yet?’ Luke asked behind the closed door. ‘We need to get going and the kids are ready.’

‘Yeah I’ll be there in just a minute,’ I called back. I felt the panic start to build. Even after eight years together I could not handle him seeing me naked. All it would take was a simple turn of the door and he would see the wrinkles and folds – a 28-year-old trapped in an 80-year-old granny’s body. I looked like an OAP – all because a thyroid condition ate away at my body from the inside out.

My nightmare started when I was just a child. My weight would fluctuate constantly. My mum Corin, 59, initially thought it was growth spurts but brought me to the GP to get my thyroid tested. We had a history of thyroid problems in my mum’s family. But the tests came back negative.

Throughout my teens I jumped up and down in weight until I turned 16 and fell pregnant with my daughter Amelia, now ten, in 2004. I piled on the pounds and gained six stone – growing to a massive 20 stone. By 2005 I started having severe heart palpitations, sickness, exhaustion and black outs.

I was talking on the phone to my mum, explaining how I felt when she said, ‘Meryl we need to take you back to the GP. ‘This isn’t normal and I’m going to demand the doctor runs some tests. ‘We aren’t leaving until we get answers.’

‘Whoa mum, I wouldn’t want to argue with you,’ I laughed. ‘Let’s go then.’ After a few blood tests I was finally diagnosed with an overactive thyroid. I was put on prescription medication to try to regulate the gland, but over the next five months I continually lost weight. I lost over seven stone in just six months, which sounds great to most people. But because the weight dropped off so quickly the drastic change devastated my body. I was left with flabs of skin hanging from my tummy, arms and legs. And my boobs were awful.

I spent many days crying myself to sleep instead of enjoying being 18. Eventually I was referred to a specialist at Leicester Royal Infirmary hospital when doctors realised the medication wasn’t working. My specialist told me, ‘Meryl we need to perform a thyroidectomy as soon as possible. ‘If we don’t take the gland out, it is going to kill you.’ I burst into tears.

Luke was Meryl’s rock throughout all of the low points

‘But I’m terrified of surgery. Is there any other way?’ I begged. ‘We have to do this to save you,’ he said. I was booked in for surgery and spent a week in hospital. When I returned home I thought my nightmare had ended. But it went from bad to worse. I was sent to another specialist who recommended plastic surgery, including a tummy tuck and breast enlargement, to repair the damage done to my body. But when I got a letter in the post from the NHS refusing my application for the surgeries I was distraught.

It stated my BMI was too high and to reapply after maintaining a healthy BMI for a year. Instead of wallowing, I set to work. I exercised and ate healthily, but no matter what I did nothing fixed the excess skin or my boobs.

It was 2006 when Luke, who was just a good friend at the time, became my shoulder to cry on. I was struggling with depression and anxiety. On my worst days I could not leave the house. One night I had such a severe panic attack my mum called 999 and I was taken to hospital. I was all alone when Luke, 28, walked in with flowers and a bunch of magazines under his arm.

Meryl is saving up for surgery after the state health service turned her down

‘I thought you could use the company,’ he smiled. ‘You being here means so much to me,’ I said. Luke sat by my hospital bed all through the night. That’s when I realised he was the kind of man I could fall for.

We started dating not long after and he was such a boost to my confidence. He had seen me at my biggest and my smallest point – and no matter my size thought I was beautiful. He also encouraged me to reapply for the surgery.

I tried again in 2007 but was rejected, despite my meeting all the NHS requirements. Luke and I got pregnant in 2008 and I gave birth to our twins Ella-Mae and Finlay. I applied again for abdominoplasty but was rejected a third time. ‘Why won’t they approve the surgery,’ I cried to Luke. They keep saying my case doesn’t set me apart from anyone else who wants the surgery. ‘I mean the NHS are funding boob jobs for women without anything wrong, but I can’t even get my deformed body fixed!’

Meryl needs to raise £10,000 to transform her body

‘It’s okay baby, you just have to keep trying,’ Luke soothed. ‘If I could afford the GBP8,000 for the surgery I would pay for it myself. ‘If anyone deserves it, you do.’

I knew paying for the surgery ourselves was out of the question. I was a full time mum taking care of our children and Luke was a lift engineer supporting our family on his income alone. And when I gave birth to my fourth child, Ezri-Rose in 2012 money only got tighter.

Luke convinced me to try to get the surgery approved by the NHS one more time in 2013. Even my doctors assured me they were certain it would be approved. But when the thin envelope arrived on the twins’ fifth birthday all my hopes were crushed. ‘Another rejection?’ Luke asked when he saw me curled up on the bed crying. I could only nod my head.

‘Baby no matter what they say I love you, skin and all,’ Luke said as he cuddled me. ‘I know it’s not what you want to hear but we have to be strong for our kids.’ I agreed so I got up and helped my twins have the best fifth birthday.

Despite the rejections, I haven’t given up hope. I’ve started fundraising hoping to raise the money I need for the surgery. I refuse to accept that even though I am in my twenties, I’ll have the body of a pensioner forever.

To donate please visit http://www.gofundme.com/7glplc?preview=1

Do you have a body issue like Meryl that you would like to raise awareness of and be paid for your story? Contact SWNS to sell us your story

Emma Louise Jones, 26, of Hull a radio presenter for Viking FM

A pretty radio presenter was stunned to find that photos of had been used on fake on-line dating sites saying she was “looking for fun”.

Emma Louise Jones, 26, discovered pictures of herself on various social media and dating sites across the country claiming she is an air stewardess or works at Morrisons.

The fake profiles suggested that she is looking to share “great times” and wants to “date but nothing serious”.

She said she didn’t know whether it was just one person or a number of different people who had decided to pretend they looked like her.

A couple of the fake accounts on Tinder and Facebook

Emma said: “It has happened on a few occasions that they have sent me a profile with me on it under a different name, like a screenshot after they have seen it on Tinder or one of their friends has come across it.

“Basically, they have said I am in different professions and that I am ‘looking for fun’.

“On the most recent one, I am called Anna and I work at Morrisons.

“On a Tinder one, I am 22, which is quite flattering.

“They have used my photo on that.

“There’s one that says I am waiting to share ‘great times’ and I want to ‘date but nothing serious’. Oh, and I’m an air steward on that one.”

She added she is worried how far people could be taking the deception.

Emma Louise Jones, 26

She said: “What kind of bizarre person thinks ‘oh what I will do is I will pretend to be somebody else on a profile and try to get a date with people’ because that person is never going to turn up, so where are they going to take it? How far are they going to go with it?

“You don’t know if it is a random person who does this daily to lots of different people or if it somebody who has a vendetta against you.”

Emma, who works for Viking Radio in Hull, East Yorks, added: “It has happened now that many times that I think, well they are clearly not going to stop it and it is them who have got the problem.

“I am not prepared to share any less of my life through the risk that they might use that.

“If I allowed it to rule my life to that extent in that it affected my job, then I would be letting whoever these strange people are win.”

While Emma, from Hull, has now acted to make her Facebook profile as private as possible, she added it is difficult to report some of the fake accounts.

She said: “I used to think to myself ‘God I am walking around and who knows what I have said to these people’. Anyone walking around me, I could have been speaking to them.

“It did worry me a little bit. At first, I laughed it off, but after the second or third one, I was a bit like I am a bit concerned about the fact that they could be saying anything to anybody and you just don’t know.

“Then if you pass someone in the street, for all I know that person who has been pretending to be me could have been saying anything to that person.

“It is really weird. For all I know, there could be a few more floating around but it is nice that people have gone out of their way to message me.”

There are definitely some tips that you will need to keep in mind when it comes to avoiding a pension scam so you don’t get hundreds or even thousands of dollars taken from you by an unscrupulous individual.

1. Beware Cold Calls

You will want to dismiss anyone who calls your home offering a free pension review because it is more than likely a scam. A lot of people have lost a lot of money this way, so you will therefore need to make a point of ignoring anyone who calls out of nowhere like this. The best possible thing that you can do in this situation is to just hang up on the person.

2. Spread Your Investments Out

Another good tip to avoid getting caught up in a pension scam is to avoid investing all of your money in the same place, because doing so makes it much more likely that you will lose it all if things don’t turn out well for whatever reason. Whether or not you are investing in a scam, putting all of your money into a single investment probably isn’t the best idea. You will want to look for different investments that you can put your money into.

3. Check Known Scams Online

If you are approached by someone with an investment opportunity that seems too good to be true, you will definitely want to make a point of going online to see if the person’s name or the details of the particular investment throw up any red flags. A lot of scams get reported online these days, so chances are that you will be able to find some information if the investment opportunity you are being offered is really just a scam. By taking the time to do this research, you could save yourself a lot of money and frustration.

4. If an Investment Opportunity Seems too Good to be True, do your Research.

Those who are presented an investment opportunity with a potentially huge return and very low risk, especially if it is over a very short period of time, should do their research before putting down any actual money. If a certain investment opportunity sounds too good to be true, it probably is. You will want to take the time to do some research before going through with it.

5. Don’t agree to something or sign up without talking to an adviser

The last thing you want to do is agree to or sign up for any kind of investment before you contact a trusted financial adviser that can provide you with a completely unbiased opinion. By taking the time to do this you will be able to significantly minimize your chances of falling victim to a pension scam.

6. Do not succumb to pressure

It is also important to remember that scammers like to pressure the people they are trying to victimize, so you will not want to succumb to any pressure from anyone at all. If you feel like you are being pressured by someone who is trying to get you to hand over some money to them for an investment opportunity or any reason at all, you should cut ties with them immediately. You do not want to make a decision involving money because you felt pressured to do so.

7. Avoid people who use certain phrases

You will want to avoid anyone who uses phrases like “legal loophole” or “guaranteed return” or “pension liberation,” because chances are they are just trying to scam you out of money. These phrases should always be considered red flags when you are talking to someone, especially if you don’t know them well.

8. Check the “Pension Adviser’s” Credentials

Before you can take anyone claiming to be a pension adviser seriously, you will need some kind of proof that they are Financial Conduct Authority approved. The last thing you want to do is even speak with someone who is posing to be one of these officials. Make sure your adviser is listed on the Financial Conduct Authority’s website so you can be absolutely sure they are completely legitimate.

A heroic five-year-old boy saved his family from a raging house fire – when he woke his dad by hitting him with his MICKEY MOUSE toy.

Little Robin Gunnett woke up after smelling smoke coming from the airing cupboard upstairs and dashed into his parents’ room to raise the alarm.

He managed to wake dad Andrew by hitting him on the head with his favourite toy before the family scrambled to safety.

The blaze broke out as a result of a suspected faulty boiler which ignited towels drying in the airing cupboard of the family’s home in Swinstead, Lincs., in the early hours of October 24.

Robin Gunnett (5) who saved his family from a house fire by hitting them with his Mickey Mouse soft toy

After being woken up by his son, Andrew, 43, helped his pregnant wife Carla, 35, and their three-year-old son Matthew and daughters, ten-month-old Carrie-Ann, and two-year-old Sarah-Ann, who fled the house.

Incredibly, the family escaped serious injuries and were treated for smoke inhalation.

Andrew, a taxi driver, said his family were saved as a result of his hero son.

He said: “It was early in the morning, maybe 5am or 6am, and I woke up to a giant Mickey Mouse in my face and I had no idea what on earth was going on.

“It was the first day of Robin’s half-term and I had worked the night before so I knew we could have a lie in.

“Robin said ‘Daddy my bedroom is on fire, Mickey wants us all to wake up’ and I thought he must be joking.

“But he asked me to sit up and I looked up and saw an orange glow in the hall.

Andrew Gunnett (43) and son Robin (5)

“I was fumbling around with no glasses or socks on trying to rally everyone around.

“We feel extremely lucky. If it wasn’t for Robin we would have been toast.

“I went back in to get our two-year-old daughter Sarah-Ann. She was cowering behind the door. I was on my hands and knees because the smoke was so bad.

“My hair was singed on the left-hand-side of my head.

“The fire was coming out of the airing cupboard, across the ceiling and over the landing. It was filling up with smoke rapidly.

“We managed to run at a crouch down the stairs and out the front door. Neighbours called the fire brigade and they came and tackled the fire. The house was wrecked.

“I have no doubt that if Robin hadn’t woken us up we would all have died.

Fire damage to the Gunnett family home

“We haven’t had a report to say what’s caused it, so it’s a waiting game now.

“I went back in with a firefighter and they showed me the damage. I was devastated.

“Parts of the upper floor had come through to the downstairs.

“Everything in the house was destroyed. It was a perfect house with a big garden for the kids. They loved it.

“We had started the Christmas shopping and it’s all gone. Anything that was combustible like toys and clothes has completely gone.

“Carla is actually alright. She was upset because she lost scan photos of her pregnancies.

“We have another son who was stillborn in November 2009 and all the paperwork to do with him and the last existing photographs of him have gone.

Carla Jade (22) with husband Andrew Gunnett (43) and children Sarah-Ann (2), Carrie-Ann (10 months), Matthew (3) and Robin (5).

“We are in temporary accommodation at the moment. It’s been a nightmare and we have nowhere to put anything.

“Robin went back to school last week. He’s quite unfazed. The school has made a fuss of him and they’ve been amazing. He’s loving the attention.”

The family were put up in a Travelodge and are now living in temporary accommodation in Stamford, Lincs., while they wait to be rehoused.

Carla, who is 25 weeks’ pregnant, said: “When Robin came into the bedroom and there was the fire I thought we just need to throw a bucket of water over it, but then I saw the landing lit up orange and thought, ‘we have to get out now’.”

The family has since been inundated with help from kind-hearted neighbours and the wider community.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue confirmed the cause of the fire was accidental.

A nine-year-old boy who dreamed of walking alongside his twin brother has finally taken his first steps with him.

Marcus McCarthy didn’t have the strength to stand on his own two feet after being born with cerebral palsy which caused his muscles to stiffen.

Although his healthy twin Jacob tried to help him with things he just couldn’t match him.

But after a life-changing operation to give him more movement and 12 months of intensive physiotherapy, Marcus has now ditched his walking frame to walk for the first time.

Marcus McCarthy age 9 from Southend, Essex.

His proud mum, Scarlett, 30, said: “It has been a long but good year, Marcus has had to work the hardest.

“He has achieved so much in one year and yet still has a lot of work to do.

“It has been difficult for him, he has had to cope with his body changing but he is getting more confident.

“This year has changed Marcus’ life, its not been easy and sometime it has not been fun but to be one year post-operation feels amazing and we are all so proud of both boys.”

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a disorder that affects muscle tone, movement, and motor skills -the ability to move in a coordinated and purposeful way.

It is usually caused by brain damage that happens before or during a baby’s birth, or during the first three to five years of a child’s life.

Marcus McCarthy (R) with his twin brother Jacob McCarthy

The operation, a selective dorsal rhizotomy which was performed at Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital (GOSH), involved Marcus having his calf muscles cut and lengthened before having botox injected into his hamstrings.

The youngster, from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, was one of 120 children to be referred for the surgery by his GP as part of a trial in 2014, meaning he had the £30,000 operation paid for by the NHS.

It was a dream come true for the family who had previously been led to believe that Marcus may never be able to walk.

“Before this it was a dream thinking that Marcus would walk,” said Scarlett.

“It never happened and we were told that he would never walk unaided.

“In reality no-one had ever given him a chance. What he can do now is such an achievement.

“He has come so far and we just can’t believe it.

“It’s amazing to see Marcus and Jacob standing together, we never thought it would happen.”

Following the procedure in October 2015, Marcus was required to undergo intensive physiotherapy to re-build the strength in his legs.

Although an amount was offered to him on the NHS, the family opted to pay privately for two extra sessions a week to give him the best chance of walking.

Scarlett, who is married to casino croupier Peter McCarthy, 37, said: “What the operation did was remove the spasticity so he could move more freely. He couldn’t move properly before.

“It retrained his brain and made everything much more natural.

“The first year is so important and was all about exercise and getting his muscles moving.

“He was so determined and so we wanted to do everything we could to give him the best chance.”

Despite everything he has been through, Marcus is still able to attend mainstream school with Jacob, where his classmates are rooting for him to get him permenantly on his feet.

Sally Nutman, headtracher of the Sacred Heart Primary School in Southend, said: “The Sacred Heart community has always wanted the best for Marcus and his brother Jacob since they joined in reception.

“Their classmates are very supportive of efforts to provide physiotherapy to Marcus to make his surgery a success. It has been a very difficult time for the family but they have been very brave.”

Marcus’ family hope that one day he will be able to walk properly and they are continuing to fundraise to pay for his contuining rehabilitation.

Scarlett, who gave up her dream to work in fashion to support other families with disabled children, has set up the Move a Mountain 4 Marcus appeal to help raise money.

She added: “Our fundraising campaign has raised £10,000 in eight months from Southend residents, Marcus’ school, small businesses, family and friends.

“The support we have had is amazing and we can’t thank people enough.”

To donate, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/moveamountain4Marcus

A pregnant woman’s unborn child was saved by her loyal puppy when it alerted her that she was suffering a miscarriage in the middle of the night.

Jade Ambrose was 33 weeks pregnant and asleep when she was awoken by hero hound Lola who started barking.

It was only then that she realised she was losing blood and that her waters had broken.

Jade, from Leeds, West Yorkshire, was rushed to hospital where doctors were able to stop her miscarrying her first child.

Jade Ambrose, 23, with her three month old son, Oliver Ambrose-Stacey

Eight weeks later, in August last year, she gave birth by caesarian section to a beautiful little boy called Oliver who is now a healthy toddler aged 14 months.

Delighted Jade believes that her close bond with the Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross – whom she has had since it was just six weeks old – is the reason for her good fortune.

Usually puppies go to their new owners at eight weeks but Lola’s mum was starting to turn on the pups so they had to be homed quickly with Jade and her partner, warehouse operative Paul Stacey, in April this year.

Because of that, Lola became very close to Jade and nurtured her with lots of snuggles and puppy milk.

The pair were so in tune that by the time Lola was four-months-old and Jade was pregnant, Lola detected something was wrong while she was sleeping on Jade and Paul’s bed and barked to wake them.

Jade noticed something was wrong and was rushed to hospital.

Baby Oliver Ambrose-Stacey, and six month old Staffordshire Terrier cross English Bull Terrier, Lola.

Jade said: “Doctors told me that if I had not gone to hospital when I did I would have had to go ahead with the delivery that night, and who knows what would have happened.

“There might have been all sorts of complications, and certainly with Oliver beginning his life in an incubator.

“If Lola had not have woken me I don’t know what would have happened because I hadn’t been in any pain at all.

“I’d have just slept through and it could have been devastating.

“At first we didn’t realise what was going on when Lola woke us and thought she must have been barking at something outside, but then we realised she was barking at me – it was only when I got up to go to the loo that I realised I was losing blood.

“I don’t know whether Lola detected a problem with the heartbeat or it was just doggy intuition – but whatever it was, we will be eternally grateful to her.”

Lola, at about three months

Nursery nurse Jade got Lola when she was 20 weeks pregnant.

She remembers it was just after she found out she was expecting a baby boy.

She said: “Because little Lola was really too young to have left her mum it meant that we struck up a really close bond.

“And she also got very close to my bump. It was so funny to see, it was as she knew there was another heartbeat – somebody else in there. It might be that she could hear it.

“She would love to watch the baby inside kicking and would want to lick my tummy when she saw it move.

“She would lay across my tummy to snuggle with me and the baby. It was so lovely to see.”

Jade had grown up with dogs and always knew she wanted a pup when she got a home of her own.

She and Paul did their homework and decided Staffies were a lovely friendly breed that were great with children.

Jade said: “We did umm and aah over whether this was the right time to get a dog but we decided that if we got a dog now then the dog and our son could both grow up together.”

When Jade was rushed to St James’s University Hospital in July doctors were amazingly able to stop the miscarriage and keep Oliver in his mummy’s tummy for another eight weeks.

In fact he ended up coming five days later than his expected due date, when doctors decided they ought to perform a c-section on August 23, after he showed no sign of making an appearance naturally.

So far Lola appears to adore Oliver and is even aware that he was inside Jade’s tummy.

Jade Ambrose, 23, and Paul Stacey, 29, of Leeds, West Yorks., with their three month old son, Oliver Ambrose-Stacey, and their six month old Staffordshire Terrier cross English Bull Terrier, Lola

Jade said: “I can see a future where they will have lots of fun-packed days together, with them playing together in the garden.

“We will let Oliver know what Lola did for him, because Lola is amazing.”

Lola and Jade have been awarded an exclusive £50 voucher from their local Pet Hut pet shop, owned by Poundstretcher, in Leeds after entering a competition to find a pet hero on Facebook.

Jade said: “I am so delighted that Lola has won, she thoroughly deserves it. We will treat her to something special with her winnings.”

A pole dancer who became the face of organ donation after starring in a documentary ‘Love on the Transplant List’ has revealed she has just months to live.

In a heartbreaking blog, Kirstie Tancock says she has suffered her second chronic rejection and is now too ill to receive a third lifesaving operation.

The inspiration 27-year-old is now preparing to leave hospital and spend her final days at home in Honiton, Devon, with husband Stuart and the rest of her friends and family.

Kirstie, who has been credited with playing a key role in getting more people to become organ donors, wrote in her blog that she has come to terms with her fate and just hopes she left her mark on the world.

Cystic fibrosis sufferer Kirstie Tancock, pictured here on her wedding day to Stuart Tancook, who has shared her battle with cystic fibrosis

She wrote: “Every song has an ending, every book has to close, my story is coming to its finale and I’m here to tell you all just how beautiful it all was.

“I’m 27, an age I never thought I would get to see but due to miracles from medical practitioners and my donors I have been kept here to enjoy what have been the best years of my life, experiencing things I could barely of dreamed of.

“I’m so grateful for every extra second I’ve had with my family, friends and all the amazing people I met and those I got to teach and lives I got to influence, mostly I hope for the better.

“I always wanted to make a difference with my life, leave a positive impact on the earth. I like to think I have done that.”

Cystic fibrosis sufferer Kirstie Tancock, pictured here aged 22

Suffering from cystic fibrosis since birth, Kirstie was given her second chance of life in 2011 when she underwent a double lung transplant when she was just minutes from death.

Her road to transplant – which included walking down the aisle just three weeks before her match was found – became the focus of a feature length BBC documentary.

She enjoyed two happy years before suffering chronic rejection. After being placed back on the list for a second transplant, she was lucky to receive a call the next day.

Since then she had been enjoying a new lease of life until May this year when it was confirmed she was suffering chronic transplant rejection again.

KIrstie, who has spent her life teaching pole dancing and raising awareness and funds for organ donation, is now hoping to raise £10,000 for Harefield Hospital where she has been treated before she dies.

Cystic fibrosis sufferer Kirstie Tancock, pictured recently as she is treated for her end stage cystic fibrosis

She added: “The truth is my lungs are severely damaged. My lungs are shrinking upwards and squashing the upper lobes of my lungs.

“Why have I had this fast acting type of chronic rejection twice? I don’t know. Statistically I just fit in with all the other statistics. 50% of people make it to 5 years, I am of the percentage that didn’t or if you add them together I did.

“Either way I’m just incredibly grateful for what I have had and I want everyone to remember that going into transplant. It’s no guarantee but whatever you get from it is so much better then before if you throw everything you can and enjoy every second.

“I am not well enough to be considered for a 3rd transplant. It’s as simple as that and do you know what, I’m ok with that, of course I would always want more time but I have discussed this with the professionals and there has to be a point when you trust them to make the best decision for you and I whole heartedly do.

“So I am hoping to go home at the end of this week. I will have home health care, mainly because I want my family to be allowed freedom to still live their lives and be there as my family and friends not constant care although they will obviously be involved.

“I will also be connected with the hospice.

Kirstie Tancock, with her husband Stuart as she is treated for her end stage cystic fibrosis

“Time wise I have ‘months’ this could be 10 this could be two but I want to remain as strong as possible so in the long run the time I do have is better quality. I will be enjoying time with my family and friends making memories.

“One of the most rewarding things in this last year is to see my students grow as individuals and give them a space to be free from all the problems we each carry with us day to day. A small thing but I hope it left my mark.”

Kirstie has revealed she is coping through her use of ‘black humour’ and has been planning her funeral to the finest detail.

And she wants to raise the funds to support the hospital.

She added: “They have supported me through every part of this journey and I hope I can reach my target to help them do this work for others.”

To donate visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/KirstieTancock1

A kind-hearted schoolgirl has been hailed a hero after she donated her Diwali money to the Royal British Legion after a crook stole a poppy collection tin.

Earlier this month, a lowlife thief was caught on CCTV wandering into a corner shop and stealing the tin containing £35 of donations intended for injured servicemen.

Footage showed the bald-headed crook, in his 30s, pace in front of the counter dressed in a green jacket and grey tracksuit bottoms eying up the charity pot.

He then picked up the red Royal British Legion box, stuffed it under his coat and sprinted out of Radhas News in Russell Street, Loughborough at 8.30pm on October 28.

Aneya Chauhan, 8, of Enderby, Leicester, who has donated all her Diwali cash to the BRL Poppy campaign

Following the theft, concerned eight-year-old Aneya Chauhan told her dad, Jignesh, that she wanted to give her £40 Diwali present to the legion.

Aneya said: “My grandparents gave me the money for Diwali and I wanted to donate it to the Poppy Appeal because I like helping people and they help soldiers and soldiers’ families.

“I was going to buy some pencil cases with it but I thought about it and talked with Dad and I said I wanted to give it away.”

Aneya, of Enderby, Leics., previously donated £60 to the Royal British Legion two years ago after reading about another poppy tin theft from Courthouse Cafe in Loughborough town centre.

That time it was money she had been planning to spend on a new hamster and, after hearing about Aneya’s generosity, Pets at Home in Leicester gave her a hamster and cage for free.

Jignesh, 47, said his daughter enjoys supporting all sorts of different causes and had recently donated all her toys to homeless children in India.

He said: “We recently saw the pictures of the man stealing the poppy box from the shop in Loughborough and she said, ‘Oh, that’s really bad’.

“Because we’ve just had Diwali, she wanted to do what she did last time and donate her money she’d received to the Royal British Legion.”

Aneya, a student at Leicester Grammar Junior School, does charity fund-raising at school and at her temple.

“She loves it. She does a lot of walks and runs. She was in India in December last year and she took her toys and board games to give to a charity over there that helps homeless children.

“It was amazing. She just loves doing that sort of thing.”

A Royal British Legion spokesperson said: “We were shocked and saddened to hear of the recent theft of a poppy collecting tin.

“This loss will deprive those in the service and ex-service community and their families of much-needed assistance and support from the legion.

“However, thanks to the generosity of Aneya, we are able to utilise her donation to support in so many ways.

“The money raised through the Poppy Appeal and donated by such kind acts as Aneya’s goes directly to The Royal British Legion’s work, providing support through life to anyone who is currently serving in the British Armed Forces, veterans and their families.”

Baroness Caroline Cox, U.S Bishop Stuart Ruch III, and Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust CEO Corinna Loges narrowly escaped a potentially fatal ambush at the hands of Islamic Fulani militants in the village of Jong, near Jos in Plateau State, last Monday, whilst on an annual visit with a larger delegation.

Shortly after leaving the village, the delegation were contacted and informed that armed men had come into the valley (the village’s sole exit point) and shot at people driving through. The events occurred a mere 30 minutes after the delegation had departed. It is believed by locals that the delegation was the original intended target of the attack.

Christian minister Rev Gyang Boyi stated to the delegation: ‘The Fulani Herdsmen killed the traditional ruler Sad Ron Kulere, Lazarus Agai in July, in a similar ambush. We thank God you escaped this.’ It is believed that the civilians who were subsequently caught in the crossfire were returning from a wedding.

Baroness Cox, and her delegation of eight, had travelled to Jong to visit destroyed villages and listen to survivors testimonies. Jong is just one of the villages that have been subject to devastating attacks at the hands of the increasingly lethal Islamic Fulani militants.

Whilst Boko Haram’s violent impact is widely reported in the international press, the lethal attacks of Fulani militants is a growing issue that mostly goes unreported.

Howevr, Islamic Fulani militants are known to have killed many – including women and children. They also systematically force vulnerable rural communities to abandon their homes and grab their land, leave children orphaned and destroy houses and churches.

The delegation spoke to numerous individuals who had survived the horrors of the Fulani militants.

Baroness Cox commented on the events: “We count it a privilege to visit with Nigerian Christians who are on the frontline facing death and all kinds of dangers every day. Many in the West have no idea what kind of persecution they go through. Islamist terrorism in Nigeria is an emergency that is woefully underreported.”

Prince Harry returns to Nevis today for the first time since he was a young boy.

He first came in 1993 with his mother, Princess Diana.

He is due to arrive on the island early this afternoon and will be welcomed to the island by local residents of Nevis who he will have the opportunity to meet.

His Royal Highness will then continue his time on the island with a visit to a local turtle conservation initiative on Lover’s Beach. Local treasure Lemuel Pemberton, founded the Nevis Turtle

Group in 2003, and is dedicated to developing a Sea Turtle Conservation Programme for Nevis that, by involving the local community, will ensure sea turtles are protected for years to come.

Volunteers work every night on the beaches that surround Nevis tagging sea turtles and collecting information about their nesting habits and movements.

Alongside Mr Pemberton, Prince Harry will inspect the turtle nests along the beach, many of which can include up to 500 turtle eggs per nest. This is a wonderful moment for the island as Prince

Harry’s dedication to animal conservation bolsters the efforts Nevis is making as an eco-conscious island, to protect its wildlife.

The Four Seasons Resort Nevis are partnering with this project, encouraging all their guests to experience this wonderful Sea Turtle Conservation program.

Prince Harry is visiting St Kitts and Nevis as part of his official visit to the Caribbean on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen.

Nevis has a long history of visits from the Royals, dating as far back as the late 18th century when Prince William Henry, who later became King William IV, came to give the hand of Fanny Nisbet to Lord Horatio Nelson in marriage.

Two hundred years later, Prince Charles holidayed in Nevis in 1973 before Queen Elizabeth herself came in the 1985.

Hon Mark Brantley, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Aviation says – “All of Nevis welcomes Prince Harry back home. We remember him fondly as a boy not yet 10, being here with his mother Princess Diana of immortal memory and his brother Prince William. We remember too his father Prince Charles being here in 1973. Indeed even his grandmother our revered Queen Elizabeth II has graced Nevis’ shores. Our long connection with England goes back to her famous sons such as Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson who married our Nevisian daughter Fanny Nisbet in 1787 and who had in attendance at their historic wedding the man who would later be King William IV. We therefore wish Prince Harry the very best and hope that he can find the footprints he left in Nevis’ sand over 2 decades ago”.

Among the many executives who have been leading the mobile revolution is Larry Page, the founder and CEO of Alphabet – formally Google. He is one of the best executives in the world today, with a lot of bright ideas that are – or will soon be – affecting our lives on a daily basis. Google alone has been part of our everyday lives, with more than 80% of today’s internet traffic coming from this search engine alone.

The mobile revolution can be highly attributed to Android and Larry’s other innovations introduced in recent years. He is expected to make close to 60 billion. Of course, Larry is just one of the many executives who have been leading the mobile revolution, according to an infographic by Washington State University and its executive Masters in Business Administration program.

The Mobile Revolution infographic was created by onlinemba.wsu.edu for its MBA students.

Washington State University Online

Did you know that an employee’s emotional intelligence greatly influences the way that employee behaves and performs at work? Recent studies complied by the University of Maryland masters in business administration program listed all the ways a person’s emotional intelligence can influence their work performance. Those of you with higher EI can handle more pressure more calmly, deal with more problems from an objective standpoint and will be able to work even better under non-ideal situations.

These advantages are part of the reasons why companies are focusing on EI more as they find the right person for managerial positions and recruit more employees. Taking active steps towards improving your emotional intelligence can help build a better future.

There are plenty of things you can do to develop your EI. For a complete list – along with more information on how EI is affecting your work performance – simply refer the Emotional Intelligence and You infographic from onlinemba.umd.edu.

University of Maryland’s Online MBA Program

We at GameVillage ensure that every month, amidst all the fun and frolic; we do not miss out on doing our bit for the society. We are proud of the kind of support that we get from our Bingo Community for our Charity Event each month. Our Charity event is held on the last day of every month. One full hour of games in one of the most bustling rooms on GameVillage is dedicated to a social cause. All funds collected from that hour-long session are donated to a Charitable Organization which is working for a cause chosen by the players.

The Charitable Organizations which are chosen each month are all noted ones, prominent for their work across multiple social concerns that they have devotedly fought against. Moreover it is the one chosen by the players. While we are not making a huge difference with our contribution every month, it is our token of support to the good work that is being carried out by these organizations in an attempt to improve the lives of so many people and fight for so many causes that are plaguing our society.

One such organization that we reached out to was Macmillan Cancer Support. This Charitable organization which believes that “No one should face Cancer alone”, aids in the battle with cancer by providing specialist health care, generating awareness and assisting with financial support to the people who are affected by this gruesome disease. The organization was founded in 1911 as the Society for the Prevention and Relief of Cancer, by Douglas Macmillan, following the death of his father from the disease. Remarkably, by 2013, MacMillan’s nurses and other health professionals reached more than 668,000 people!

A Macmillan Breast Cancer Nurse Specialist shared her experience working for the cause. She says that her main role is to provide information to her patients, because information empowers them and helps them in making an informed choice. Even lending a friendly ear to the people who are undergoing the pain is a humbling experience.
We owe our respect to these real – life saviours. The GameVillage Charity event aims to honour such generous souls.

Our Bingo family came forward to extend their support for the fight against Cancer and the September Charity event collected a handsome amount of £450 for the Macmillan Cancer Support organization. We received a token of appreciation from the organization and we want to thank all our players who generously contributed to the cause and made the effort worthwhile:

A big thank you from Macmillan

Thank you so much to all the Game Village Bingo Players for raising a fantastic £450.00 for Macmillan. We hope that you enjoyed it and that you will pass our thanks on to everyone who helped to make it a success. Your effort and enthusiasm will help us to be there for people affected by cancer and help them to feel more in control of their lives.

We at GameVillage, along with our lovely Bingo family, promise to continue our efforts in giving back to the society in whatever possible way. On behalf of the entire team, we would like to thank Macmillan for acknowledging our efforts.

To coincide with one of the most auspicious months of the Islamic calendar and part of a number of events arranged by British Muslims, a four week nationwide bus campaign will be launched in the UK from Monday 5thDecember 2016.

The unprecedented campaign will feature over 128 buses throughout the UK carrying a universal message of goodwill and peace to all. Public transport buses from the south coast right up to Glasgow will carry the same message addressing all of humanity.

“O mankind spread peace and feed people” is one of the most well known and central teachings of the Islamic faith. The organisers aim to take this message to hearts and minds across the United Kingdom during the coinciding festive periods of Mawlid and Christmas respectively.

The campaign will culminate on Saturday 17th December 2016 with what has become known as International Mawlid in the City. This is a world-wide, coordinated event that takes place every year, with the aim of inspiring Muslims of all ages and backgrounds to make a positive contribution in their own local communities.

A global event, now in its fifth year, Muslims armed with roses and laden with the Prophetic message of peace, love and mercy take the peaceful teachings of the religion to their local towns and cities. Participants from all over the world will be handing out roses and sweets to members of the public, with the aim of promoting the Prophetic message of peace, love and hope for the whole of humanity.

Participants and volunteers aim to once again coordinate over 125 locations across the UK and the World with many live events running simultaneously. These events will run throughout the UK in major City Centre locations including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield, Coventry, Luton and Glasgow to name just a few. In numerous locations the events will include feeding of the homeless all coordinated through a central direction hub at the group’s head office in Birmingham.

A delegation will also present roses and the message of peace to Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street to coincide with events across the world . International locations include USA, Canada, Trinidad, Guyana, Australia and many locations within western Europe.

Abdur Rehman Tobin a co-ordinator involved in both events explains, “We’ve been running Mawlid in the City for the last five years to promote the true universal message and teachings of peace and mercy taught to us 1400 years ago.” Tobin goes onto explain, “Unfortunately in the current climate of fear, the true message of Islam has been lost. We give out roses and cards offering messages of peace. It gives an opportunity for people to talk to Muslims and ask questions and find out more to remove any misconceptions”. “This year we’ve managed to get over 128 buses to carry the message of universal peace to help share the Prophetic message of spreading peace and feeding people in what has been a very difficult year for all of humanity.”

Mohammad Amar, a senior scholar at As Siraat and its parent organisation Hazrat Sultan Bahu Trust adds “The arrival of December not only marks an important month for the Christian community, but it also coincides with the arrival of the blessed Islamic month of Rabi ul Awwal .”

“ Islam is of the balanced middle way and always has been, and we need to reaffirm this position”. “For this reason, we are propagating a positive, proactive message in conveying the real message of Islam to areas of the mainstream population here in the UK and abroad”. He further confirms, “Engagement2030 is a initiative from ourselves to reach out and engage with communities in the UK and beyond. Our work aims to break down barriers and reach out and engage in positive open dialogue with all”.

As-Siraat ,part of Hazrat Sultan Bahu Trust aims to promote Islamic Education in the United Kingdom, to ensure the development and nurturing of younger generations. It seeks to inspire individuals to become a source of inspiration, guidance and light for others. It has a dedicated and committed team of scholars and academics who are all focused in ensuring the preservation and promotion of classical Islamic scholarship and traditions, firmly rooted in understanding the Divine Message.

Web site: http://www.as-siraat.org.uk/

With January being prime time for booking your next holiday, you might be looking for new and exciting beauty products that you can try out on your next adventure.

Whether you’re travelling by plane, boat or even the car, a disruption to your usual daily routine can cause issues with your skin; impacting on your mood and consequently affecting your entire trip. Along with not feeling your usual self, the impact that travelling-stress has on your skin can also influence your self-confidence.

Elise from Celebricious shares all you need to know about travel beauty, and how to make sure that you’re looking (and feeling!) your best whilst you’re on holiday:

Pack Multi-Tasking Products

The feeling of dread that comes with emptying your hand luggage can be overwhelming – especially if it’s the only luggage you’re taking!

Instead of attempting to pack three types of concealer for highlighting, colour correcting and covering blemishes, just pack one all-in-one product that can control all three. Instead of packing a separate bronzer and contouring powder, pick a product that can do both.

The majority of airlines often restrict the measurements of liquid you fly with too, so packing multi-taskers can help free up space for other liquid-based beauty items.

Keep Moisturised

We mentioned earlier that travelling can take its toll on your skin and overall appearance. However, this can be combatted by making sure that both your skin and body is constantly hydrated and moisturise.

If you’re travelling by plane, throw a small moisturiser into your hand luggage bag and apply it both mid-air and again when you land. Not only will this help your skin to keep hydrated, but it will also help your skin to appear naturally healthy.

Opt for Travel Sizes

Despite running the risk of sounding too obvious, opting for travel/mini-sized beauty products is a great way to pack lightly and not fill-up precious space in your suitcase.

Mascara, foundation and haircare products such as shampoo and conditioner can be bought in smaller sizes to avoid the need of carrying around heavy products in your luggage. The same also goes for toiletries such as toothpaste and shower gel!

Choose Your Nail Colour Wisely

A surprising tip that I learned whilst travelling is to paint my nails in a nude colour as opposed to bright and vivid shades. This is because in the likely event that your nails chip, it will be less noticeable.

Because of this, you probably won’t need to pack your nail polish in your luggage for your trip, meaning extra space. More importantly, you’ll spend less time perfecting your manicure and more time enjoying your holiday!

How do I become a nurse practitioner? If you’re wondering, then you’re in the right place. Nurse practitioners are registered nurses who have undertaken advanced training and gained extra knowledge through an online nurse practitioner degree or other specialized training in healthcare. Due to their advanced status, nurse practitioners are able to perform a variety of functions that are normally the responsibility of doctors and physicians, such as prescribing and administering medications in most states. If a nurse practitioner is the perfect job title for you, read on to discover more about how to achieve it.

Become a Registered Nurse

Before you can work as a nurse practitioner, you must train to become a registered nurse (RN) if you have not done so already. Eligible degrees include the associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) or the bachelors of science in nursing (BSN), which take two and four years to complete respectively. After successful completion of the degree program, students must obtain the RN certification.

Advanced Degree Study

On your pathway to learn how to become a nurse practitioner, the next step to take is a master’s degree, once you have gained the RN certification and graduated from nursing school. The master of science in nursing (MSN) program offers a range of areas of specialization to choose from for students, for example working in pathology, pediatrics, emergency treatment, anesthesia, immunology, infusion, microbiology, maternal and neonatal care, and more. Studying for a master’s degree normally takes around two years, but if you have work experience in a healthcare related field, you may be able to complete it in a shorter time frame. You will also need to undertake a doctorate degree in nursing and sit the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) which will qualify you to become a nurse practitioner in the U.S.

Studying Online

One of the main questions asked by prospective students is: ‘is it hard to become a nurse practitioner?’ Studying to become a nurse practitioner does require a lot of hard work, as there are at least two college degrees involved, along with the need to gain work experience and become comfortable working in a hands-on, practical setting. Because of this, many prospective nurse practitioners are considering studying for their degree online, with online nurse practitioner degrees available from top nursing schools in several states.

Job and Salary Opportunities

For the period 2014-2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment for nurse practitioners is expected to rise by over 30%. Currently, the U.S. is experiencing a shortage of nurses, with an aging population putting increasing strain on the healthcare system and creating a higher demand than ever before for experienced nurses. As of May 2015, nurse practitioners could expect to earn an average of almost $105,000 per annum.

Becoming a nurse practitioner is not an easy task, but with high demand, great job security, and increasing career opportunities, investing your time and energy in becoming a nurse practitioner is a great career choice.

“Yes, of course” she said as she tilted her head to hold the phone, when asked if she would say a few things on what she had been up to recently.

Anne started out working for an Investment Bank before she started up her own company, a consultancy called AnneBlues. She started AnneBlues with her business partners and is successfully running one of the top consultancy firms today. Also, Anne is well respected, well known and well-liked by her peers in the City.

We also wondered what her hobbies were, so when we asked her what her hobbies were, she chuckled and said, going to the park and trying out new restaurants.

We also asked her if she had been up to anything interesting recently, and we found out most recently that she is related to the British Royal Family.

A DUI conviction can result in jail time, community service, the loss of your driver’s license, and a considerable fine; not mention the potential loss of your livelihood. However, there are ways to avoid a criminal conviction for driving under the influence.

Utilize Your Right to Remain Silent

The US Constitution grants suspected offenders with the right to remain silent. So, if you are arrested for driving under the influence, you must utilize your constitutional right or you may damage your defense in court. Whether you are innocent or guilty, you would best serve your case by remaining silent at all times and do not speak until you have a lawyer present.

Your Right to an Attorney

In addition to having the right to remain silent, you also have a legal right to counsel, which you can request immediately upon arrest. Even if a police officer has yet to read your rights, you should request the representation of an attorney, and the officer on duty will have a legal obligation to contact an attorney on your behalf.

Consult a DUI Attorney

There is no reason why you cannot change lawyers during a DUI case. It is essential you hire an experienced DUI attorney in Oregon, or a different state, who specialises in cases like yours. This will ensure they understand the legal processes associated with your case and can easily spot any gaps in the case that could throw out a conviction. So, do not settle for a general lawyer and opt for an DUI attorney as they specialize in DUI charges. For instance, an attorney could argue the arresting officer failed to offer your Miranda Rights, or that the officer forced a person to take a BAC test.

Learn the Law

To effectively beat a DUI charge, you must expertly navigate your way through the complex areas of the law – which is why you need the help of a talented DUI attorney. The decisions you make could secure a conviction or acquittal.

For example, an arraignment hearing will provide an opportunity for you to enter a plea against the state’s charges against you. You can therefore choose to plead guilty, not guilty, or no contest. It is common for most people to plead not guilty at the hearing, as they can always enter a guilty plea at the trial.

A DUI attorney can advise you on how to act at the preliminary hearing, and could also challenge state-collected evidence that will be used against you during the filing of the pre-trial motion. For example, an attorney could argue the results of a BAC test were due to defective equipment.

Conclusion

The key to beating a DUI offense is to build a strong case against the state charges against you. If you do not have legal experience, it would be a wise decision to contact an attorney with extensive knowledge of DUI law, so they can provide the best argument for your case in court.