A mum-of-three has won substantial out of court damages after claiming she suffered three years of sexual, physical and enforced drug abuse at a Church of England children’s home in Kent.

Teresa Cooper now wants the Church to launch a full-scale inquiry into the alleged scandal at Kendal House, Gravesend, which closed in 1986.

The 43-year-old battled for 18 years to expose what happened to her.

She wants Church leaders to trace and help the dozens of other girls who she claims suffered a similar fate.

Teresa, who now lives in Essex, said she was told to take drugs and when she objected, she was violently restrained and injected.

Then she was locked up for weeks at a time, raped and sexually abused while she was semi-conscious.

She claims she’s already found 18 other women sent to Kendal House who told her they were forcibly drugged and later gave birth to children with a range of problems.

Teresa said last night: "In view of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s condemnation of Roman Catholic child abuse and the way it has been handled, you would think he would be anxious to put his own Church house in order.

"I want to make sure the Church of England understands and publicly acknowledges what happened to me and dozens of other girls at Kendal House and I would like to see a genuine Christian will to help others who suffered like me.

"Anything less will be seen as an attempt to brush the scandal under the carpet in a cynical damage limitation exercise."

The Diocese of Rochester said there was no admission of liability, but it hoped the settlement would help Ms Cooper move forward.

In a statement it said: "In reaching the settlement, no admissions of liability were made.

"It is our fervent hope that the terms of the settlement agreed will assist Teresa Cooper move forward with her life."