A TEENAGER who was housebound for six months due to an anxiety disorder has used her passion for music to turn her life around.

Eighteen-year-old Nicole Burrows, from Sutton Leach, could not leave her house for a large chunk of the last year due to suffering from agoraphobia.

Nicole was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and a panic disorder. The severity of her condition meant she had to quit her studies at Winstanley College last May .

“At the time I didn’t want to get any better,” recalls Nicole.

“I had to quit college and for six months I was literally house bound with agoraphobia, which meant I couldn't leave the house without a constant fear of being sick or fainting.”

However, Nicole says how her love for music helped her gain the confidence to leave her house again .

After setting up her music blog, which she used to write about her passion from the comfort of her own home, she eventually used it as a platform to start leaving the house.

Since then Nicole has travelled around the North West and beyond to watch lives music and regularly reviews bands for her blog.

Now she has organised the an Oxjam event to take place at the Citadel on Saturday (August 16).

“The reviewing been helping me loads. It’s the only thing I’m passionate about so this gives me the courage to go and review a certain band’s live music.

“Organising the Oxjam event, I wanted to do something for St Helens bands, who are don’t get much recognition apart fromStillia.

“I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to do something positive in St Helens.

“I wanted to take this opportunity to show the town what it does have to offer.

“Stillia will be headlining and other local acts include Scarlet, The Patriots and Hume.”

Nicole's music blog can be found on ninelivescatseyes.com.

Tickets for Oxjam are £5 with doors opening at 7.30pm. Proceeds go towards Oxfam which helps to tackle poverty worldwide.