CORONATION Street star and governor of Shocklach Oviatt CE Primary School, Ian Bartholomew, has released a single in support of the charity Women's Aid.

Ian plays the character Geoff Metcalfe in the long-running soap, who is currently the focus of a storyline centred around domestic abuse.

While researching the role and hearing about the impact it was having on people in similar situations to the characters on screen, Ian says he was inspired to do something to help raise funds and awareness of the issue.

This desire to raise awareness led Ian to write and perform a single entitled 'This Time it's Forever', to highlight the issues featured in the TV series.

"I felt compelled to do something positive as a response, which is how I came to write, 'This Time It's Forever', which is about escaping an abusive relationship," said Ian. "It is my emotional response to the story line.

"I just hope it will go some way to raising awareness of domestic abuse, and to bring in some much-needed funds for Women's Aid and the lifesaving work that they do."

A spokesman for Women's Aid said they were grateful to Ian for his work in promoting their cause.

"The Coronation Street storyline has helped to raise awareness of coercive control as a form of domestic abuse and has led many survivors to seek help from Women's Aid for the first time," they said.

"Women have been in touch to tell us that, after being in a relationship with their abusive partner for decades, they are now seeking help because of what they have seen on screen.

"We are hugely grateful to Ian, and his wife theatre director Loveday Ingram, for their support of Women's Aid over the past year and for the incredible song 'This Time it's Forever' that they have produced to raise vital funds for our work to support survivors of domestic abuse."

To listen to Ian's song visit https://youtu.be/_b4tUfrLlEs and to donate to Women's Aid visit justgiving.com/campaign/ThisTimeItsForever