A FORMER England hockey player has told schoolchildren how mental toughness helped her overcome bullying and an eating disorder to become an international sports star.

Burnley-born Charlotte Hartley proved a big hit at Holy Cross Catholic High School in Chorley.

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Charlotte, 27, has now retired from competitive sport and is working as an athlete mentor for Sky Sports Living for Sport helping teenage girls in particular to learn how to cope with school pressures and still succeed in life.

It’s a lesson Charlotte learned herself as a youngster having experienced such severe bullying at primary school that it induced stress related alopecia.

Charlotte said: “I could either give in to the bullying and let the stress of it continue to worsen my condition or I could be strong and refuse to let it get the better of me.

“I was good at sport which was where the bullying stemmed from, students who were jealous of my talent, but I knew that sport was such an important part of me enjoying life that I was not going to let anyone take it away from me.

“From there on I decided my goal of playing for my country would be my focus not alopecia or bullying.”

Learning to be mentally strong soon paid off.

She fulfilled her dream of playing for her country representing England in the U18 and U21 teams and at the age of 17 playing for the England Senior B team.

Charlotte’s proudest achievement came in 2006 when she was one of the youngest members selected to represent England at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

The next year she represented Great Britain in the Sydney Youth Olympics where her team won gold.

Shortly after this Charlotte developed an eating disorder which ended her international career but made her even more determined to help support other teenagers experiencing similar body issues.

Charlotte said she was proud to share the story with students in the hope she can encourage more students to stay positive .