A Northfleet woman has revisited a terrible attack and the sudden death of her fiancé, a decade after appearing on the front of the News Shopper.

Now 29, Laura Waghorn, of Northfleet High Street, has a new job and is hoping for a family with her long-term partner.

It was a very different picture 10 years ago.

She was recovering from the sudden death of her fiancé, Nick Barnes, from a heart attack in autumn 2004.

Only the year before, the couple had experienced a horrifying sexual attack at the hands of Gravesend doorman Daniel Owen.

Owen, of Valley Drive, Gravesend, had burst into the flat they were staying with a knife and subjected the couple and their two best friends to a five-hour nightmare where the victims were forced to perform sex acts on Owen and each other.

Owen, 35, was convicted of rape, false imprisonment and indecent assault nine months later at Maidstone Crown Court and sentenced to life in prison.

News Shopper:

The tragic turn of events made the front page of the News Shopper in August 25, 2004, a few days after 25-year-old labourer Nick was buried.

Ten years on, News Shopper tracked down Laura who was keen to reveal how she has put her life back together.

Laura, who had been on her hen night when she heard Nick had been rushed to hospital, told News Shopper:  “I’d met Nick at North West Kent College and we’d been dating for about three years when we were attacked.

“The attack was like an explosion. We didn’t expect any of that to happen.

News Shopper:

Laura and Nick

“People thought his heart attack was caused by his drinking but I think it was more to do with his heart, his parents said it was a ticking time bomb.

“I still think of Nick – on his birthdays and our anniversary I’ll put flowers on his grave and I think of him when I drive past where we used to live.

“He was a really kind, caring man. If he could see me now, I think he’d be proud.”

Laura has worked hard to put the heartbreaking year behind her.

She said: “I suffered from depression for a couple of years.

“I have always been a strong person and I thought, ‘you just have to get on with it’.

“The experience of that year did change me – I sometimes panic about things going wrong, even if I know they won’t. I still go out and have fun though.

“My friends and family have been really supportive and a lot of people just wanted to give me a chance of a job – I’m so happy to have one now.”

News Shopper:

Laura, aged 19, at the time of Nick's death

Laura is now a sales assistant for an accessories retailer as well as studying counselling in her spare time.

She said: “They’re training me up to be a supervisor. Now I have this job, I just want to keep it.

“I’m also doing a home-study course in counselling in my spare time.

“I was inspired to help other people who experienced rape or abuse after what happened to me.

“I’ve come out of it although it is always part of you and it never completely goes away. I didn’t want it to stop my life.”

Laura is now busy making plans for the future and tries not to dwell on the past.

She said: “It was a couple of years after Nick’s death when I met my current partner and now we’ve been together for eight years.

“I would like to have a family and it is something I’ve spoken to my partner about.

“That year has changed the way I look at things.

“People are still worried about talking about it in case it upsets me but I say, it happened a long time ago and I didn’t do anything wrong.

“It's made me stronger.”