A woman whose boyfriend locked her in her home, struck her with an iron bar and made her lick fresh paint off the floor is helping to support fellow domestic abuse survivors.
Mother-of-two Danielle Thomas, now 35, was left battered and bruised by footballer Reece Thompson, who has played for Retford United, Boston United and Guiseley AFC, and was a trainee at Lincoln City.
But the mother-of-two, who says she is still haunted by her ordeal, is channelling her experience into helping others and is raising awareness and money for a survivors retreat which will help those in a similar situation.
Ms Thomas says she felt 'trapped' and that her 'spirit was broken' by Thompson's behaviour which peaked during the incident in September 2018.
Throughout the three-day ordeal, Worksop-born Thompson, 27, smashed her over the head with two mirrors, broke her jaw and struck her with an iron bar.
Danielle Thomas (pictured) whose boyfriend locked her in her home and beat her in a horrifying three-day ordeal has said she wants to channel her experience into helping others
Pictured: Danielle Thomas with ex-boyfriend Reece Thompson who was jailed for his abusive and violent behaviour towards the mother-of-two at Nottingham Crown Court in April 2019
He was jailed for 40 months after he pleaded guilty to damaging property, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and inflicting grievous bodily harm when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court in April 2019.
Thompson, who was living in Bircotes at the time of his arrest, was also handed a 10-year restraining order.
He was released in January 2020 but recalled to jail the following month after posting a number of inappropriate tweets in relation to his conviction and because he spoke about the case to a national news website.
Three years on from the awful abuse, Danielle is helping other survivors as a volunteer at a local women's centre despite her own ongoing struggle with complex PTSD and personality disorder.
Danielle, mother to Lielarni, 15, and Ella, 11, is also looking to set up a campsite in South Yorkshire for families that have been through domestic abuse.
She said: 'I was in a relationship with who I thought was a great guy.
Injuries suffered by Danielle Thomas at the hands of Reece Thompson during the ordeal
Thompson also rubbed glass into Danielle's back leaving her with several cuts and grazes
'Unfortunately not long into the relationship, violence and control started. To begin with he would check my phone and started discouraging me from going out to see friends and taking part in my hobbies.
'I used to do pole fitness and initially he would compliment me by saying things like I must have good upper
