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An award-winning nurse and author from Hartlepool has published a novel about mental health issues after people around her took their own lives during lockdown. .

Jenny Hutchinson, 52, wrote Mint under the name Cher Graiden and worked closely with experts to write the book to ensure her story was accurate.

Jenny writes as a hobby alongside her role as a community district nursing sister at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.

Mint tells a story about a woman who, experiencing hard times herself, has a chance meeting with a man contemplating suicide on the top floor of a building.

Jenny Hutchinson, award-winning nurse and author of Mint.

On her website, Jenny said: “Writing this book opened up a whole world to me that I had never had to think about before.

"I wanted to show the effect on the people left behind and the people around them as well as show that it is something that can affect people from all walks of life, at any time and for any reason.”

Ahead of this weekend's World Suicide Prevention Day, she reflected on the people in her life who took their own lives during lockdown.

She said: "It was a difficult time for everyone and it became a choice of novel for me.

“Mental health services are so important but I also wanted to highlight the significance of talking things through with those around you.”

She has already received a local Nurse of the Year award for Mint.

Among the people to nominate her was someone whose brother died from suicide.

Jenny said: “I was honoured to even be nominated for an award, let alone win. I was absolutely flabbergasted.

“I’m no JK Rowling but if it helps just one person, then my book was worth writing.”

She added: “If just one person realises that they’re not alone – that everyone hits rock bottom, we all get broken up with, we all get in debt – then I’ve done what I’ve accomplished, what I set out to do.”

Jenny has already published two children’s books, Harry Hotdog and Elden the Owl, which were inspired by her own children.

Her books can be bought at www.chergraiden.co.uk/.

More information about World Suicide Prevention Day, which takes place on September 10, is available at www.samaritans.org/.

The Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123.

Hartlepool nurse turned novelist discusses book ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day