‘i stayed in a castle and played my bassoon’

All around was snowy and frozen – yet someone was making Maria’s heart melt

It’s time to declutter and deep-clean your home in time for the new season ahead. Just follow our easy steps

Our latest fiction writing competition asked entrants to pen a love story, and we found find three romantic tales which we’re sure you’ll enjoy over the next few pages. Congratulations to Daniel Taylor with The Clockmaker’s Valentine , which you can read overleaf, along with two runners-up. Plus on page 58, find out details about our next themed short story competition...

When sexy soap star Nick Fox makes a bloody and permanent exit from the UK’s favourite TV show, Scotland Yard have plenty of suspects. Can you help them solve the crime?

With a thriving career and a joyful marriage, TV and radio star Kelly Brook is the happiest she’s ever been. Here, she tells Christobel Hastings about running the London Marathon, her new radio gig and why she’s ready to reintroduce herself

‘He’s been a poppet, as always,’ Anne said when I arrived at her house to collect my son. On the days that I worked, my ex-mother-in-law picked Ezra up from school for me. She smiled indulgently. ‘He