After surviving a traumatic upbringing with drug addict parents, Veronica Cook has written a book about her experiences.

Veronica, Hidden Harm retells her story in the hope it will inspire and help others in similar situations.

She was inspired to write after the death of her mum from liver cancer in 2012, caused by Hepatitis C which she contracted through her heroin addiction. The book is also dedicated to her.

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The 43-year-old, who now lives off Borden Lane, Sittingbourne, said: “I grew up in London with my parents addicted to drugs and I’m sure there’s thousands of kids growing up in that environment.

“My parents weren’t horrible people, they weren’t dirtbags – I just want to get across what drugs do to people and that they can affect people from all backgrounds in all walks of life.”

She spent the first years of her life in London squats and was involved in shocking encounters including being tied up by a gang at age eight.

“It ended with me saying enough is enough, I’d hung around for 24 years and had two younger sisters,” she added.

“My nan had died and left me some money a couple of years earlier and I knew it would be my get-out clause so I bought a one-way ticket to Mexico in 1998.”

Mrs Cook, now a trained massage therapist, travelled alone through Mexico City, onto Guatemala and Belize, before returning to the UK and meeting her husband, Rae.

Her therapist suggested she write down her experiences. “If I can help just one person to seek help that would be great,” she said. “I want to raise awareness of the issues drugs can cause – no one should be in that environment.”

Her book is available from Blackwell’s, Austin Macauley Publishers as well as being ready to order from WHSmith and Waterstones.

She will be signing copies in WHSmith in Gillingham High Street on Saturday, May 13, and WHSmith Sittingbourne on Saturday, May 20.