'HANNAH WAS THE SISTER I NEVER HAD

After losing her best friend, Nikki Brooks wants to ensure she does her proud

The months and years following Nikki Brooks' best friend's death have taken their toll. Nikki T describes Hannah Clarke as "the sister I never had", and since meeting as teenagers at gymnastics, the pair hadn't spent much time apart.

"We went on holiday together, had kids at similar times and I saw her three times a week, sometimes more. She was so funny and positive. We were always in fits of giggles," Nikki, 37, tells Woman's Day.

But behind her smiles, Nikki knew Hannah was living on eggshells at home due to her husband Rowan Baxter, the man who would eventually take her life.

"It started after [Hannah's middle child] Laianah was born," Nikki remembers.

"Rowan was so cruel. He'd say she was useless, comment about her body, he was never satisfied and he controlled everything - finances, who they were seeing."

"At first she thought it was a phase and if she just loved him enough it would be OK.

Towards the end, Hannah said to me, 'I can see it in his eyes Nik, he wants to kill me." In December 2019 Hannah called time on the relationship, hoping they could have an amicable split.

"It was a stressful time but she was happy, too. She was saving for her own place, and she was talking about applying for the police force. She wanted to help other women like her," says Nikki.