ANOREXIC Anna Paterson has returned to Weymouth in a bid to lay the ghosts of her abusive past behind her.

And the harrowing story of her life, and the love she has found with her fianc Simon Teff, will now be told as part of a Channel Four documentary, which is to be filmed in the resort.

Anna, 32, who grew up in Southend, was locked in a bedroom and abandoned by relatives while on holiday in Weymouth - a torment that started her lifelong battle with anorexia and many visits to psychiatric hospitals.

But with the love and support of her mother, Kay, father, Mike, older brother Mark and Simon, a 32-year-old administrator she met through the Internet, Anna is rebuilding her life and has written a book - called Anorexic - an idea which first developed when she revisited Weymouth in May of last year.

Anna, who splits her time living between Cornwall and London, said: "It was Simon's idea to come back to Weymouth and lay the ghosts of the past, and my terrible memories of the holiday, to rest.

"I was very nervous and a bit shaky for the first day, but coming back to Weymouth was really the start of big changes in my life.

"I realised that that part of my life was done and gone and I had a new life to look forward to, it was a real turning point for me."

Anna, who came close to death, weighing under five stone when she was 30, added: "The idea for the book came after I saw an anorexic girl when we were walking through the town centre.

"I felt a desperate need to help her. But you can't just go up to someone on the street and offer help, so Simon said why didn't I write about my experiences. That way I would be able to help lots of people."

The first chapter of the book was written during her visit to Weymouth and now a documentary about Anna's story, and her happiness with Simon, will be aired on television.

Anna does not know when the documentary will be filmed or shown on television, but she said: "Hopefully the programme will highlight that there is always light at the end of the tunnel, no matter what problems people face.

"This time two years ago I never would have thought I'd be in love, starting to write my second book and winning the battle against anorexia."