Award for army vet who turned life around

CLARE'S PTSD TREATMENT GAVE HER TRANSFORMATIVE LIFE SKILLS

- By LORNA HUGHES

A PLYMOUTH army veteran transformed her life by channelling the skills she learned during PTSD treatment to create a thriving business.

Clare Hearl has now won a national award for her work.

Clare joined the Army at the age of 18 in 1997 and served for 10 years across the world, including in Cyprus, Kenya, Jordan, Sierra Leone and Northern Ireland. After battling mental health issues for almost 20 years, things finally unravelled for her in 2016.

At this point she says she was "really struggling with everyday life" and shortly after her son turned three she recalls her mum coming over and asked where she was. She says his response: "Crying, Grandma" has stayed with her.