Stories of Tie Up Games

“So, they are not the first people who have played these games with others Mummy?”

“Oh no, my dear – when I was your age, my mother told me stories of other people who had played roles like these. One I always remember was one who pretended to be a vicar and liked to visit the families in his ...

Carl’s view

Was it a surprise? Oh yes. Was I scared? At first, yes – but once we were left alone, something else happened…

I’m eleven years old, and I was going with my nine-year-old sister Laura and Mum to visit my Aunt Bea and our cousins – Rhea is thirteen, Sophia twelve and Alexandra ten. We ...

The Wedding Photo

Doris looked across at her two children as they sat on the chairs, they looked back at their grandmother in turn. She was wearing a short and tight grey sleeveless dress with blue diamante pattern on the material, and taupe high heels, a light blue hat pinned to her head.

“So ...

As you know, I provide counselling services for families who have had experiences which have scared them or wish to explore issues in a different manner – such as – well, allow me to change the names, but give the broad details.

The Fern family consisted of Paul and Ginny Fern, and their children ...

“There – that’s not that bad, is it?”

I smiled as I looked at eleven-year-old Angela Barnett, the white cloth I had tied round her head holding her long dark brown hair against the back of her neck. The cloth was a rolled up white cotton one, with a knot tied in the middle – a knot that now sat in ...

Four houses situated in the Fenham area of the West End of Newcastle on a winter’s night – and in each house, a different tale unfolds. For example, in a house off Wingrove Road, a mother and daughter had special guests…


“I have to say, you do make an exceptional cup of tea, for a masked robber ...

“Now, you understand what I am saying?”

Fiona Braxton nodded as she watched the masked woman lead her daughters out of the room. They had arrived half an hour earlier, taking her, Alice and Fay completely by surprise, and when their leader had said who he was she knew this was going to be a very ...

It was the Sunday before Christmas, and there was a light scattering of snow on the ground outside the grounds of St Barnabas Church, the Anglican church in this Shropshire village. Why was I parked in the car outside listening to Christmas songs on the radio?

Well, it had a lot to do with the wife ...

1

I looked at Hazel as she sat on the chair, and she looked back at me, the two of us knowing there was not a lot we could do as the man searched the room. We were sat on old mahogany dining chairs from our dining table, which we had been forced to carry through from the dining room and place in ...

When Barbara and Tom selected to visit the Barnes family and offer them the chance to help support them, they had no idea as to what was going to happen – but they had learned to come prepared, and prepared they had come – although it did require some improvisation, and searching to replenish ...

How many times? Do you know, even with that couple that stayed the weekend and made sure I was never free, there have been too many to mention – but you want me to explain some of them, don’t you? All right then – have you ever heard of the Selfie Snatcher?

Oh, you do, do you? Well, the time he ...

Prologue

As she watched him tie the light pink scarf around Josie’s head, covering the edges of the white cloth that stuck out from between her lips as he tied the knot at the side of her head, Tina could not feel more proud -and more scared – for the way her daughter was coping. They had come ...

The Mother

Liz and I have been neighbours and best friends for years – we moved into our houses on the same day, and our husbands are great golf buddies, which meant we tended to spend a lot of Saturday and Sunday afternoons together, at first just the two of us, and then with the kids when they ...

On My Own

It genuinely took Fatima by surprise the day it happened. Although she followed the Islamic faith, the work that she did required her to dress in a certain way to make customers feel comfortable – so that day she was wearing a loose fitting beige jumper and a knee length dark blue skirt ...

This week in in Their Own Words, we tell tales where younger people have shown a marked degree of bravery. For example, the grandmother of Tina and Teri was amazed at how they coped when the masked intruder burst into her front room…

I was wearing a grey jumper and old jeans, tucked into knee ...

Tea with Mother

The clock on the bureau was chiming three as I walked into the front room, Mother watching me as I did so. She was wearing a light purple coat dress, with elbow length sleeves, buttoned up the front and with a lace collar, as well as black high heels.

“Very good, Sam,” she said ...

That Chris de Burgh song? He’s not a particular favourite artist of mine, but it does bring to mind some tales of my younger, slightly more adventurous days…

This would have been the early seventies in all cases – a very good time for finding nice valuables to trade in, but as always in those days ...

The building in question was 38 Castle Mews, a suburban street near the centre of a city centre – an old Georgian house which had been converted into six flats. And on this Saturday lunchtime, Janna and I were standing outside, looking at the main entrance door. We were casually dressed – I was ...

Day 1

“No, you’re not going to go to school today,” Martha said as she looked at her children, “the man wants us to stay here while I call your father, so we’re going to be kept together, all right? Now finish your breakfast.” She tried to smile as she looked at her three children. Chuck was ...

It may seem as if it was yesterday, but it’s four years now since the Covid restrictions were lifted – but this happened when the first loosening took place, in the autumn of 2020. There was a large country house up a country lane, and it was still the case that travel was very restricted. As it was ...

One of the more ubiquitous fashion items of the seventies was not just hot pants, or platform boots, or mini skirts - it was the wool cardigan, especially in a nice Arran style. And behind closed doors, it could lead to some – interesting situations.

Grandpa in charge

“Barbara, how wonderful ...

Sports Day

Charles and Eddie looked round the empty hall and then giggled as the sixteen-year-old boys made their way behind a screen. Charles had short wavy red hair, while Eddie had near black hair – and both were carrying holdalls which they placed on the floor.

“Do you think they’ll notice ...

They were watching from the van as the SUV pulled up outside the house, Tow holding the steering wheel as Barbara finished applying the red lipstick to her lips. The woman who got out was in her late forties, with long greying hair, and wearing a pair of large glasses. She had on a long grey ...

October 31st, 2024

“Why do we have to come to Grandma’s tonight, Mum,” Sabrina Court said as she looked out of the passenger window of the car. The eighteen-year-old was wearing a black leather jacket over a grey t-shirt, tight blue jeans and trainers her wavy brown hair falling over her ...

Monday
7 am

“Wake up!”

The eighteen-year-old slowly opened her eyes – the male voice was unfamiliar to her, but it was rough, and when she looked up, she saw the man standing there, dressed in black – and with a balaclava mask over his head.

“What the…”

“Not a fucking word, kid – get up and ...