WHILE most couples will happily regale you with stories of how they first met for Cheryl and David Hickman their love story is a little more complicated.

The husband and wife go back a long way, in fact they’ve known each other from birth due to the fact they are first cousins.

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Charyl and David Hickman are both cousins and man and wife[/caption]

HotSpot Media

They say there is nothing wrong with their relationship and are sick of people accusing them of incest[/caption]

Cheryl and David Hickman, both 52, from Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, are first cousins and their fathers are brothers. 

Despite cruel comments from trolls claiming they ‘belonged on The Jeremy Kyle Show’ The couple, who married in 2016, enjoyed a healthy sex life until recently. 

For the last three years, a night of romance is the last thing on Cheryl’s mind as the mum-of-one suffers crippling pain from endometriosis.

It’s a disease where tissue grows outside the uterus, which can cause severe discomfort in the pelvis and sometimes infertility.

The condition often leaves Cheryl unable to get out of bed and in too much pain for sex.

Now, Cheryl, who has been unable to work for eight months, is desperately awaiting a hysterectomy on the NHS.

She says: “I’ve been fighting for surgery for years.

“Once, David and I couldn’t keep our hands of each other, but our sex life amongst other things, has suffered due to the pain.

“We’re desperate to reconnect, physically and to get my health back on track.”

After 16 years together, the couple claim to still be madly in love and don’t care what society thinks of their unorthodox relationship.

Cheryl says: “When I was younger I never thought my future husband would end up being my cousin.

“But you can’t help who you fall in love with.”

Growing up, Cheryl and David’s families were close, visiting each other once a month in Wandsworth, London. 

Cheryl says: “While our parents nattered, David and I would play together.

“David loved to follow me around the house and yank my ponytail.

“Even though we were the same age, I always referred to him as my annoying little cousin.”

But when they were 14, David’s family moved away from the area and Cheryl moved on with her life.

Years later, in 1994, Cheryl, then 22, discovered she was infertile and so in 2001, Cheryl and her then partner adopted a newborn girl, Caitlin, now 23.

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The couple realised they had feelings for each other in 2009[/caption]

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The pair are now raising Cheryl’s adopted daughter Caitlin[/caption]

The following year, Cheryl got married but they divorced six years later.

In 2009, just a year after her divorce, Cheryl received a message from David on Facebook out of the blue. 

She says: “I hadn’t heard from him in 22 years but that night, David and I messaged back and forth, catching up on each other’s lives.

“I discovered he was divorced and had step children.

“I told him all about Caitlin and my past marriage.”

After that night, the pair spoke every day.

The next month, Cheryl invited David to Caitlin’s 8th birthday party in London.

She says: “As he walked in, I thought he looked really handsome. 

“It was at that moment that I realised I found my cousin attractive.

“I tried to shake it off, but I couldn’t help the way I felt. 

“I told David he looked fantastic and he said it was so nice to see me. 

“After the party, David pulled me aside and told me he had feelings for me. 

“I was so excited, I admitted I fancied him too. 

My dad was furious and said we needed to break up as it was against the law

Cheryl Hickman

“We ended up kissing. 

“I knew we were cousins, but my feelings took over, it didn’t feel wrong, it felt right.”

But the next day, Cheryl’s worries began to catch up with her. 

She says: “David and I were related by blood, so I stressed that I’d get into trouble.

“I quickly did some research online and discovered first-cousin marriages were legal in Britain.

“It wasn’t classed as incest and I was so relieved. 

“After that, David and I decided to give our relationship a go.”

Soon, David became a doting stepdad to Caitlin.

At first, afraid of their family’s reaction, Cheryl and David kept their relationship a secret.

But two months later, they came clean. 

Cheryl says: “As David no longer spoke to his family, he didn’t need to tell them.

“So I confessed to mine.

“I told my parents that David and I had fallen in love. 

“My mum told me to stop being ridiculous, while my dad was furious and said we needed to break up as it was against the law. 

“I quickly showed him a website that confirmed first cousin relationships were legal. 

“Then, he calmed down. 

“After that, they still weren’t happy, but I understood they needed time to get used to the idea.”

Six months later, their family finally accepted their union. 

But soon, internet trolls began leaving cruel comments on Cheryl and David’s Facebook.

Cheryl says: “They called our relationship incestuous. 

“Others said that we belonged on the Jeremy Kyle show. 

“I was furious.

“I said to David how could people say such gross things, we weren’t brother and sister. 

“Thankfully, when we told our friends about us, they were supportive.

“They were shocked at first, then it wasn’t mentioned again.”

Ignoring the haters, David proposed to Cheryl in December 2009.

In November 2016, the couple got hitched.

For years, they enjoyed a blissful marriage.

In the UK, there is no legal ban on two cousins having a relationship or getting married.

But in 2022, Cheryl was diagnosed with endometriosis and began experiencing excruciating pain.

She is forced to take strong painkillers which she claims, barely help.

In the last two years, she underwent two ablation operations at The Lister Hospital in London.

The procedure removes the lining of the uterus to treat heavy menstrual bleeding and alleviate chronic pelvic pain. Sadly, both surgeries failed.

Eventually, last year, she was forced to give up her job as a transport passenger assistant, taking a toll on the couple’s relationship.

David’s been my rock throughout and we’re still madly in love

Cheryl Hickman

She says: “Not having the financial income we once did put pressure on our relationship.

“We couldn’t go out as much and -coupled with my health problems, it put a strain on us.

“David hated seeing me in pain and was helpless to make it go away.”

While Cheryl longs for a hysterectomy, many hospitals refused to perform surgery, due to Cheryl’s former 29st frame.

She says: “They were worried about putting me under.

“Yet, specialists encouraged me to have bariatric surgery.

“As a celiac it wasn’t a good idea, as it meant getting the proper nutrients I needed would be harder.”

Instead, Cheryl decided to lose weight naturally, through portion control and healthy eating.

Ditching fast food, she began eating more vegetables and lean meats as well as taking up swimming twice a week.

Within two years, she’d lost an incredible 5st. Now weighing in at just over 23st and is now on the waiting list for a hysterectomy.

She says: “I can’t wait for my operation so David and I can get our love life back on track.

“We haven’t taken a holiday since 2018, so we can’t wait to go travelling together once I’m well enough.

“David’s been my rock throughout and we’re still madly in love.

“I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

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Cheryl is currently battling with endometriosis and says it has taken a toll on their relationship[/caption]

A FORMER Premier League star has been sacked as manager of Carlisle after just 25 games, according to reports.

Ex-Newcastle defender Mike Williamson, 41, starred for the Magpies in the top flight from 2010 to 2015.

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Mike Williamson has reportedly been sacked as Carlisle boss after just 25 games[/caption]

But after a dire run since taking over the Blues in September, it is claimed he has been relieved of his duties.

According to the Daily Mail, Williamson was sacked on Monday morning.

That comes after Saturday’s humiliating 5-1 defeat at home to Swindon which left the Brunton Park side bottom of the League Two table, five points from safety.

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A MAJOR attraction visited by more than half a million visitors every year has suddenly shut due to “health and safety concerns”.

Ticketholders headed to Cardiff were given no notice of the sudden closure when they turned up yesterday.

According to a printed notice stuck near the entrance, National Museum Cardiff will remain closed to the public “until further notice”.

The sign quoted “building maintenance” as well as “health and safety concerns” as the main reasons for the announcement.

It reassuringly added how the “preservation” of collections remains at their “top priority” during this time period.

The museum is usually free to enter, offering exhibitions and art for all.

From natural history to contemporary art, the installations will not be available after the “difficult decision” to “temporarily close” the doors to the public.

The latest information has been set to be posted on the social media channels for the museum.

In a recent Instagram story, the attraction recommended that hopefully visitors head to St Fagans National Museum of History in the meantime.

A statement released on behalf of the attraction was released yesterday.

It read: “Due to a requirement for immediate maintenance work, Amgueddfa Cymru has made the difficult decision to temporarily close National Museum Cardiff to the public for a short period.

“The safety and well-being of our visitors, staff, and the preservation of our collections will always remain our top priority which is why we have taken this short-term measure to close the museum.

“While this closure is necessary to ensure that the building meets all safety standards, we recognise the impact this may have on our visitors, volunteers and the community.

“Our team is working diligently to address the identified issues and to make the necessary repairs and improvements to guarantee the safety of all those who interact with the museum.

“We will continue to assess the situation and provide updates on our progress but are hopeful that these issues will be addressed over the next few days.

“We sincerely appreciate the understanding and support of our visitors and look forward to welcoming you back soon. For the latest information, please visit our website or follow us on our social media channels. Thank you for your cooperation and patience. “

Some have since taken to social media to express their thought on the latest update.

One person wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “until further NOTICE??? why don’t you have a project plan of the works to be carried out.”

Another said: “Obvs an urgent problem has occurred – hope you are able to sort it. But pretty galling that nothing of closure on website at around 11.45am and you took online payment from us for 12.15 admission to the Streic exhibition! Love @Museum_Cardiff but you made it hard work today!”

Someone else put: “All the schools that visit. It’s so important to Welsh children. And they close it.”

A fourth commented: “Very disappointed to arrive in Cardiff to find this. Any news on a reopening?”

While one user said: “Couldn’t have posted that you were closed today before tens of people turned up for opening?”

It comes after the deteriorating condition of the museum was revealed as a potential risk that could result in closure.

The Welsh Government cut the budget by £4.5m and the Chief Executive of Museum Wales told BBC Radio Wales that it was “extremely difficult” trying to cope with the reductions.

Discussions over the museum charging visitors for special events, tours and exhibitions were also heard.

The Sun has approached National Museum Cardiff for comment.

Alamy

The National Museum Cardiff has shut its doors suddenly amidst ‘health and safety concerns’[/caption]

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VLADIMIR Putin’s forces have unveiled its barmiest “turtle tanker” yet as Russia scrambles to protect its dwindling armour from Ukraine’s deadly drones.

Footage from Russian state TV showed a Soviet-era BMP-1 coated in metal sheets and bizarre hair-like bristles as it ploughed through the battlefield.

Russian TV

Putin’s scrambling forces have resorted to ‘hairy’ tankers to fight against Ukrainian drone strikes[/caption]

Russian TV

The fighting vehicle was spotted near Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region[/caption]

AP

The bizarre tanker is the latest laughingstock in a long line of Kremlin blunders[/caption]

The spiked, “hairy” vehicle was spotted near Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region, where Moscow’s troops have been steadily advancing.

The weird modifications are part of Moscow’s desperate attempt to shield armoured vehicles from first-person-view (FPV) drones, which have become a battlefield menace.

The “hairy” BMP appears to be an evolution of Russia’s crude “cope cages,” the improvised metal shields first seen on tanks at the start of the war.

But instead of just flat plates, the BMP’s open back is covered by hanging curly sheaves of steel, while thick broom-like bristles jut out from its sides.

Oleksandr Danylyuk, a military and defence analyst at RUSI, told The Telegraph he had not seen such defences used before in this war.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian weapons expert Valerii Riabykh suggested the bristles might be designed to “prematurely initiate the fuses on FPV warheads” before they strike the vehicle directly.

The move comes as Russia and Ukraine engage in an escalating game of drone warfare, with both sides rapidly adapting to counter each other’s tactics.

FPV drones have proved devastating, especially against older armoured vehicles, as they can hit where defences are weakest—on top.

Initially, electronic warfare (EW) systems proved effective at jamming remote-controlled drones, with military officials estimating that 75 per cent of drones were being knocked out, The Telegraph reports.

But the introduction of “unjammable” fibre optic-controlled FPV drones has forced Moscow to get creative with its defences.

VLAD’S DESPERATE TANK DESIGNS

This is far from the first time Putin’s forces have resorted to makeshift solutions.

 Last year, Russian troops were spotted rolling into battle with bizarre “turtle tanks”.

The Soviet-era T-80s were covered in steel sheds and chain fringes in a bid to survive drone and missile attacks.

The hulking vehicles, which debuted in Donetsk Oblast, became a symbol of Russia’s reliance on ageing Cold War-era equipment.

While the thick metal plates provided some protection, they also severely limited visibility for the crew, leaving them vulnerable to Ukrainian strikes.

One particularly humiliating moment came in August when Ukraine’s 92nd Assault Brigade annihilated several of these “turtle tanks” in Kharkiv Oblast, setting them ablaze in a series of pinpoint strikes.

Footage showed Russian soldiers scrambling from the burning wrecks as Ukrainian drones picked them off one by one.

The slapdash armour upgrades reflect Moscow’s growing desperation as its once-vaunted tank fleet has been decimated.

Before the grim two-year anniversary of the war, Russian commanders were reportedly forced to dig into vast Cold War stockpiles to keep their forces in the fight.

The dire state of Russia’s arsenal was laid bare last May when Putin was forced to cancel or drastically scale back the annual Victory Day parades — typically a grand showcase of Russian military might—due to a lack of heavy-duty military equipment.

AP

Putin previously sent bizarre Russian T-80 tanks shielded with steel plates and chain fringes[/caption]

AP

The bizarre Soviet-era relics were seen in Donetsk region in Ukraine[/caption]