JANE Stringfellow knows from personal experience what it's like to suffer from eating disorders.

For ten years she fought her own battle with anorexia and bulimia and has now set up the first support group in the area so others don't have to struggle all alone as she did.

"Contrary to popular belief, not everyone who has anorexia ends up in hospital," says Jane, who works as a counsellor for the Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde Community Health Trust. "Many are very secretive and manage to stay just above dangerous weight loss.

"They disguise thinness under baggy clothes, but they may have low self-esteem and feel deeply unhappy. "That's why they need a lot of support to help them explore what's causing their unhappiness and stress." Jane believes her own difficulties which began when she was 15 were sparked by GCSE exams stress and the pressure of becoming an adult.

"I had very high expectations of myself," she said. "And eating was the only thing I could control.

"It feels great to succeed at first, to see the weight fall off you. I had a very distorted view of my body. That's why anorexia and bulimia are difficult to treat. They're very complex.

"They make you feel in control, then take over until they rule your life. You feel devastated if someone takes away your control."

Jane now runs EDSIP (Eating Disorder Support In Preston) in her own time. The group meets at the Council for Voluntary Service building Lancaster Road, Preston, once a fortnight on alternate Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 7-9pm.

It is open to anyone with an eating disorder, whether they have a diagnosis or not, and any relatives who may be affected by it.

Jane said: "Anyone is welcome just to sit and listen to other people's problems and join in if they feel comfortable at any time. The only ground rules are confidentiality and respect.

"It's going really well with around 10-12 people attending each meeting. At the moment we have the National Eating Disorders Association behind us and backing us up.

"I think most people who come have low self-esteem and feel helpless. I want to get them back to their normal selves again."

For more information call EDSIP on (01772) 251108 in complete confidence.