Born into a Spanish immigrant family (she’s 3rd generation) Lia grew up in a rough area of Leeds. When she was 12 her mother walked out, leaving Lia, her father and little sister to fend for themselves.

Her father had a good heart, but was essentially a big and useless child. So this 12-year-old girl found herself mother to a middle aged man and infant. She still managed to do well at school, helped by a clear and practical intelligence that would put many of the doctors to shame.

She went into higher education, but stayed in Leeds, essentially so she could still look after her Dad. It was here that she discovered the first real passion of her life – clubbing. The scene was really taking off in Leeds, and Lia became part of a gang who never missed a Friday or Saturday night at Vague or Back To Basics.

It was a much-needed release from the frustrations at home. This was the first thing in her life that was truly hers and she hurled herself into it with the passion of someone liberated from prison. Lia felt she was finally reclaiming the childhood she never had.

After she graduated Lia started working for the benefits agency, which bored her rigid – it was only the promise of the weekend that kept her going. It was during this period she met Mitchell, a co-worker from the benefits agency. They fell into a (at least for Lia) rather half-hearted relationship. Mitchell offered security, but Lia wouldn’t compromise her newfound freedom.

When she fell pregnant, her residual Catholicism and Mitchell’s eagerness buried any thoughts of a termination. But by the time Emma was a few months old, Lia was restless again. And so Mitchell became primary carer for their daughter, staying home while Lia returned to the scene, where she became a club runner.

Lia was now caning larger and larger amounts of drink and drugs. Mitchell was at the end of his tether. He adored Emma, and wanted them to be a proper family. So he gave Lia an ultimatum, clubbing and drugs, or him and Emma. Lia reacted with spectacular fury and walked out.

She tried to jump back into the old clubbing routine, but something had changed. No amount of Es could give her the same high.

It was at this point that her father finally met someone. It was a key turning point for Lia: with Mitchell and Emma also gone, she found herself free of responsibility. She could make choices for herself alone. And so, with a wilful obtuseness, she enrolled to be a nurse.

She loved the training, it challenged her emotionally and physically, and she attacked it with the same zeal she had immersed herself in the clubbing scene. And the further she got with the training, the less time and energy she had for clubbing.

During her training she met Kate, who at the time was still with Andrew. When they split up, Lia was the first person Kate asked to move in. Lia and Kate are closer than sisters. Lia will only lower her defences in front of Kate.

Over the last year, Lia has begun to experience a growing sense of unease. Though she has re-established contact with Mitchell, she only gets to see Emma sporadically. Part of her regrets missing Emma’s early years.

She is making tentative steps to re-establish regular contact with her daughter, all the time convincing her it doesn’t matter, it’s not really something she desperately wants … Although tellingly she has recently completely quit drink and drugs, almost as if preparing herself for a big fight…

Lia’s still in contact with the ‘old crowd’, and the temptation to go on a bender is always present. Her old mates resent Lia’s change of life (it reminds them they’re getting older) and treat her with contempt.