A FORMER Knutsford High School pupil who turned to poetry to help her overcome depression has become a first-time author.

Kirsten Shaw, who grew up in Ashworth Park, has had a collection of poems and photographs published in a book called The Human Race is a Long Journey Home.

The 27-year-old has suffered from depression for around seven years and told the Guardian that poetry helped her come to terms with what she was going through.

Kirsten, who used to work at Booths supermarket, said: “I’m not sure that depression is ever truly cured.

“It comes and goes and over time I believe we can learn how to cope with it better.

“I have had an incredible amount of support and acceptance from good friends and family, especially when I know they have found it difficult and struggled to understand.

“I think for me, poetry has helped vocalise some of this ‘confusion’ as well as expressing the more positive empathy and love that I felt from and for those people closest to me.

“The book has no answers but I certainly hope that it can be of some help to other people who have gone or are going through depression, as well as those who know someone who has it.”

Kirsten becoming an author came as a surprise to her friends as she is better known for playing football.

She played six seasons with Manchester City Ladies and one season with Spurs Ladies.

Kirsten, who now works at a special education needs school in Surrey, also enjoys running and got some of her inspiration from Tatton Park during visits to her mum and stepdad Jo and Brian Ellison.

She started writing about two years ago when she unexpectedly got inspiration while walking in Surrey.

Her first poem was about getting away from it all and is called Goodbye.

The Human Race is a Long Journey Home is available to buy at amazon.co.uk.