A MUM whose partner almost killed her in a brutal attack in Ellesmere Port has spoken out in a bid to help other women escape abusive relationships.

Emma Cranston, 36, was left with 10 broken ribs and a punctured lung after her ex-boyfriend kicked and stamped on her in a courtyard outside their flat following a night out in February last year.

Despite her horrific injuries, the thug locked her and her friend inside their home for three hours until police were called and gained entry.

Mum-of-two Emma was rushed first to the Countess of Chester Hospital and then airlifted to Aintree Hospital in Liverpool where she underwent emergency surgery.

Chester and District Standard:

Emma underwent emergency surgery after her broken ribs punctured her lung.

Just over a year on, she still suffers with the pain of having had metal plates attached to her ribs and has experienced what she describes as post-traumatic stress disorder.

She has now set up a petition, backed by a number of MPs, aimed at introducing a law that would see convicted domestic abusers sign a register similar to that of sex offenders.

And she has also set up a Facebook page called 'Love Doesn't Hurt' aimed at giving abuse victims a platform and support.

Emma told The Standard she doesn’t want to name her ex-boyfriend as her story is not about him or about revenge.

“This whole experience has changed me; I felt like I was going a bit crazy,” she said.

“I’ve had to rediscover myself and find who I am, and now I know I want to help other people who are in my situation.”

Chester and District Standard:

Emma is still recovering from the attack by her violent ex-partner.

She said the relationship with her ex had always been “toxic” despite them having been together for eight years.

“We were both as bad as each other,” said Emma. “We were always arguing; we were a nightmare to be honest.

“He’d hit me but I’d hit him too. Then five years ago we decided to make a proper go of it and stop all the fighting.”

But her partner continued to be violent.

“It was always the same level but then every now and again there would be a bad one,” she said.

“He broke my nose and burnt me. One time after an argument he threw a boiling hot pot of lasagne at my head, burning my head and face.”

During Christmas 2017 he broke two of her ribs, and then in February 2018 came the final, almost fatal attack.

Emma said a group had been out at the pub and took a cab home. She and her ex-partner then had an argument after which he attacked her from behind in the courtyard outside their flat.

“He punched me until I was unconscious and then I was trying to get up on all fours and he kicked me, like a volley, in the ribs and then stamped on the left side of my chest,” said Emma.

“It happened so quickly, my body just shut down.”

Chester and District Standard:

Screws and metal plates were used to rebuild Emma's rib cage.

He then refused to let Emma or her friend call an ambulance and kept them locked in the flat for three hours while she was in agony.

Eventually a call was made to the police who gained entry and arrested Emma’s ex. He has now been convicted of causing grievous bodily harm and is behind bars.

Emma said the alarming fact was that after the attack, she felt so lonely and vulnerable that she would have taken him back.

“I can see how women go back to their partners,” she said. “You’re lonely and you’re used to having someone there but suddenly there’s no one.

“He was texting me and ringing from prison and sending letters. If he’d been out then I would have taken him back.

“It took me a really long time to get over him. It’s like an addiction; one minute you feel like the most special person in the world and the next you’re the scum of the earth. It’s like being on an elastic band, they let you go and then pull you back in. You can’t break away easily.”

Emma said she had now moved on and would never take her violent ex-partner back. There is also a restraining order preventing him from contacting her.

Chester and District Standard:

Emma now wants to help other victims of domestic violence.

She added: “There has been very little support available while I was recovering. I started thinking about this and came up with the idea for the ‘Love Doesn’t Hurt’ Facebook page.

“There needs to be more support for victims of domestic abuse and a change in the law so the abusers have to register like sex offenders.”

She already has the backing of several MPs and has a meeting with Ellesmere Port and Neston MP Justin Madders next week.

“My ex wants to move to the Isle of Wight when he gets out,” Emma said. “I’d hate for him to do what he did to me to someone else who doesn’t know what he’s like.”

* Emma’s petition will be available to view here https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/244502/moderation-info

Visit her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lovedoesnthurt11/