Church mum checks into Priory

Charlotte Church's mum has checked into The Priory rehab to solve drink and self-harm problems.

Forty-year-old Maria admitted "I need help” and is expected to stay at the centre for up to a month.

She went to hospital two months ago after taking an overdose of paracetamol when husband James threatened to leave her for his mistress. Since then, The Sun reports, Charlotte and other friends have urged her to get professional help.

“I am going to the Priory Clinic to get some help," Maria told journalists from her Cardiff home. “It has been well documented that I suffer from depression and other problems and I feel I need professional help to deal with them.

“I’ve had problems for many, many years and suffer from self-harming and I’m doing this for me and my family. Charlotte fully supports me.”

A close friend of Maria also told The Sun: “Maria has been drinking to excess and hurting herself a lot since the revelations about her husband. She has finally plucked up the courage to face it head on," she explained. “Maria is terrified about going. Charlotte is also worried but proud of her mum for taking this step.”