A BRAVE mum has revealed how years of domestic abuse from an ex-boyfriend has left a ‘devastating’ and ‘long-lasting’ impact on her children.

The mum-of-four said although physical scars had now healed - the emotional impact is still having a huge affect on her and her children's lives.

Phoebe, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, spoke out as a charity warned The Domestic Abuse Bill hangs in the balance because of the chaos surrounding Brexit.

When Phoebe fell pregnant with her son Henry, her ex-partner started to demand money to fund his drinking habit and social life.

Phoebe said: “While I was visiting my mum one night, the girls did something my ex didn’t like and they told me that he put them out into the back garden in the rain with the dog and wouldn’t allow them any meals.”

As the months went by, the emotional abuse turned physical.

Phoebe said: “We were walking down the road as we’d been for a drink together and he split my lip. He punched me in the back of my head.”

One day things escalated into yet more brutal violence when Phoebe’s ex-partner stumbled into the bedroom in a drunken state.

She said: “I don’t remember what happened for him to raise the rolling pin to my head.

“I just remember protecting my body and screaming and shouting for my girls to phone the police.

“I believe I was hit around 30 times to the face and body. I was in a mess for quite a few weeks afterwards.”

The incident left a long-lasting impact on the children’s lives, resulting in the family asking for security cameras to be installed at the house.

Phoebe said: “The kids slept in the bed with me after that night - they didn’t want to sleep in their own rooms.”

When Phoebe and her ex-partner were going through the courts, Henry started having night terrors, soiling himself and became aggressive in school.

Phoebe’s daughter, Rosie, self-harmed, had suicidal thoughts and developed an eating disorder. Her other daughter, Annie had a breakdown at university.

Phoebe said: “The abuse has left physical and emotional scars which I still live with.

“It’s not something which can ever fully leave you.”

Phoebe and her son Henry went on to access help at a South Cumbrian Action for Children.

Phoebe said: “Unfortunately not everyone has somewhere to go.

“I want more funding to be pumped into these services. You can’t put a price on mental health.”

A report led by Action For Children revealed that every day in the North West up to 110 children are at risk of domestic violence.

Phoebe said her son Henry has ‘bloomed’ since receiving help from Action for Charity.

The Domestic Abuse Bill has fallen twice as it passed through parliament to become law – firstly due to the government’s ill-fated Prorogation attempt and now because of the General Election.

Action for Children’s chief executive Julie Bentley, said: "Every day our frontline workers see the emotional scars of domestic abuse on children in the North West and across the country. We’re urging all parties to commit to prioritising a Bill on domestic abuse in the next Parliament and fund the services children desperately need.”