BEING caught drink driving was the catalyst for one woman to start her battle against the bottle.

Janet Hough was handed a 16 month community order after crashing her car into two parked vehicles in January last year.

And after starting a course to reduce her alcohol intake the 37-year-old has transformed her life by getting a job, stopping self-harming and dramatically cut down on her drinking.

Janet, from Fairfield, had a troubled childhood and first remembers trying to take her own life as a 10-year-old.

She also struggled with anorexia before developing an alcohol addiction which saw her drinking upwards of three bottles of wine a day.

Janet said: “I am deeply embarrassed about drink driving because I could have hurt someone.

“I didn’t think I was over the limit, but that’s no excuse and I regret getting behind a wheel in that state so much that even though my ban is over I’ve not renewed my licence.

“At the time I had problems. I was seeing my doctor, asking for help, but wasn’t getting the support I needed.

“Ironically getting arrested was horrific and terrifying, but it has also been the best thing that has happened to me, because I got the help I was crying out for.”

Probation services offer a job club which Janet used to find herself a job and it also got her a key worker to help with mental health problems and put her forward for Pathways to Recovery to help with her drinking.

Andrew Pownall, probation services officer for the Cheshire and Greater Manchester Community Rehabilitation Company, supervised Janet on her order, which she successfully completed in June.

“I was a bit nervous before I started probation," added Janet. "But I knew probation was there to help me and I wanted that help. As it turned out, I got far more than I expected.

“My probation officer was a really good person, he brings out the best in people.

“On one occasion when I slipped up and drank, one of the main reasons I felt guilty was that I’d thought I’d let Andrew down.”

Andrew added: “I am really proud of how Janet has progressed. When I first met her, she had quite a few lapses and there were quite a few things we had to work through.

“She is incredibly open and that is tremendous because then you can get to the root of a problem and look at ways to tackle offending behaviour.

“Janet identified that being bored was a big trigger. Therefore the help she got from the job club and in getting the work was a big step in the right direction.

“Work has given her day structure, it has given her self-esteem. It is also to her immense credit that she has not renewed her driving licence.”