THIS IS OUR SECRET

Mary Gearon, 25, from Liverpool, trusted her grandad like all children would. Only, he lured her into a false pretense to steal her innocence...

- EMMA DUNN AND ANAIS SEELY

Sitting down at the pub table with a pint of Coke in hand, I bubbled the drink through my straw.

‘Thank you, Grandad,’ I smiled, chuffed that I had a sugary, adult-like beverage.

At just nine, during the summer holidays, me and my brother Ryan, now 28, would join my dad and grandad at the pub to watch the footie.

Dressed in our Celtic football gear, we loved spending time in the pub with them all.

Despite my mum Dierdre, 48, and dad splitting up just months before, I made sure to visit my dad and grandad as much as possible.

Loving drama at school, I’d get involved in everything I could, wanting to sing and be a part of every show possible.

So, cheering like a hooligan at the footie was like second nature to me.

One day, after playing at the local park with my friends, I thought I’d stop in the pub on my way home on the off chance that I’d catch my grandad.

After all that playing, I wanted nothing more than a fizzy Coke.

‘Yes, Freddie’s here,’ the pub manager nodded, pointing me in the direction of my grandad.

Placing a glass of Coke in front of me, I chugged on it as my grandad nursed his beer.

‘How about we go and get some food?’ he suggested, after we’d both finished our drinks.

Heading to the Chinese I picked a dish, before grabbing a portion of chips for Grandad at the chippy.

Cradling the food in my wrapped arms, we rushed back to his house to eat it – living alone it was nice to spend extra time with him.

Settling on the armchair, with Grandad on the sofa beside me, we turned on the TV, putting on our favourite show – The Simpsons.