'It was my health or the job - so I chose my health'

A FORMER Midland headteacher has revealed she quit the job she loved after being forced to choose between the role and her health.

- JAMES CARTLEDGE

Hilary Mitchell ran Caldmore Primary Academy in Caldmore, Walsall, until she stood down at Easter.

The 55-year-old said she had barely slept during some nights and had performed an exhaustive list of roles at the school on top of her official duties - even including cleaning.

She had been ground down to the point she had taken time off with stress in the past.

She said: "You end up doing all sorts - cleaning, admin when you are short-staffed, supervising breaks and lunch times - the list is endless.

"You get phone calls and messages at all hours and it was causing arguments between me and my partner. At one point I wasn't getting to sleep until 2am every night because I was worrying about work, at another point I was waking up at 4am.