Presenter Charlie Webster raising money to bring ‘courageous’ friend home after tragic death in Australia

She said her childhood best friend Katie took her own life in Sydney last week and she had been suffering with mental health issues for a number of years, after suffering sexual abuse.

The 40-year-old broadcaster, who grew up with Katie in Sheffield, has set up a gofundme page to raise money for the repatriation.

“Katie's family are utterly distraught and just want to get her back to lay her to rest,” she wrote.

“Katie was a daughter, a sister, an auntie, and a friend – with a cheeky sense of humour, a determined nature and a twinkle in her eye.”

The friends were abused by their running coach when they were growing up in Sheffield and they confronted their trauma in a BBC documentary they made together, called ‘Nowhere to Run: Abused by Our Coach’, which was released last year.

Ms Webster wrote: “Our coach preyed on us, he manipulated us, and he got in our heads. He created friction in the group, fear and pitted us against each other, all to make sure nobody told anybody what was going on. We were just children.

“She was incredibly courageous, strong and so brave to stand up in court and testify against him. Paul North got 10 years in prison.

“Katie saved so many other children from being sexually abused by this abhorrent rapist. We know there were girls abused before us but Katie made sure there were none after us.

“This is not about him but it is about the long-term trauma sexual abuse causes. Katie tried to start a new life in Australia, coping the best way she could and fighting every step of the way, she was an incredible and dedicated athlete.

“Katie achieved an elite level in Muay Thai, CrossFit and yoga through adversity.

“The thing about the trauma of sexual abuse, it doesn’t just go away. What happened to Katie made her feel worthless like she wasn’t enough, and it impacted her mental health, as is common for all survivors, me included.”

She added: “Please help us, finally get Katie home, to be with her mum.”