LIZZY LONG LEGS

Lizzy Groombridge, 28, from Camborne, Cornwall, towers over everybody!

- CAITLIN ECKLEY AND HANNAH CROCKER

Opening the front door, I dumped my school bag and kicked off my shoes.

Stretching out, I rubbed my sore shoulders.

It wasn't the weight of all my books that was giving me gyp.

I'd spent all day slouching, desperately trying to blend in with all my school friends.

But it was pointless.

There was no blending in. At 5ft11, I towered over my peers.

I'd always been tall, but it was only after starting secondary school that I'd really noticed how different I was.

I felt like the BFG as I lumbered around the hallways.

'Hey, Lizzy Long Legs,' a boy taunted, joking with his mates. 'How's the view up there?"

You look like a lanky beanpole,' another sniggered as he walked by me.

Pushing past, I hoped they hadn't seen the tears streaming down my face-I hated it, and I just wanted to be 'normal'.

My whole family was tall my mum Cher was 5ft8, and my dad Shaun was just under 6ft, too.

But I was on another level.

I felt like I never fitted in.

I was so insecure, doing whatever I could to make myself seem smaller-slouching, crouching down.

'Don't be ashamed of yourself,' Mum said, trying to comfort me when I came home in tears. 'It's what makes you who you are.'

It really got me down, though.

Even male teachers who were three times my age were completely dwarfed by me.

It made me feel so unfeminine and unattractive.

'It's so embarrassing,' I told Mum. 'People are always calling me horrible names.'

'If you're being bullied, speak to your teacher about it,' Mum said.

It would have made no difference at all though.

It wasn't just the other kids at school that were a problem, either.

As I got older, all my friends went out to high street shops to go shopping and buy new clothes.

But I could never find anything that fitted me.