A woman was left 'shocked' when she was given just 28 days to clear £4,500 of debt she didn't know she had.
Musician Nike Fleming, known as Ni, received a letter from her bank informing her that the debt that needed to be paid off within 28 days.
She told the ECHO : "I was in shock, I'd been putting it out of my mind until one Saturday morning, and then boom. I couldn't ignore it.
"At the time I thought, 'I feel really useless, I'm not working right now. If it were a normal time I could've paid it, or at least come up with a payment plan, but with Covid I couldn't get any gigs.
"I had to get resourceful - I couldn't allow this to get me down."
Ni admits responsibility for not paying off her debt before it reached this point.
The 24-year-old added: "I get it. I should've at least paid some back but I know loads of people who weren't being asked."
Ni reached out to her bank for help, with four weeks not feeling possible to pay off the £4,500 outright and the stress of her debt causing her to struggle with her mental health.
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Ni lived in London before moving to Liverpool, and it was in the capital that she found her debt so difficult to shift.
Although she was working during her time in London, she told the ECHO: "If you want to have a life in London, you have no extra money.
"Loads of people live in their overdraft, you feel like you've got money but you don't."
It was a pressure to fit in that led Ni into her debt, and she added: "I felt like I had to keep up with the trends in order to be accepted.
"A lot of people get into debt trying to keep up with everyone, it can feel really embarrassing to admit you're in debt - a lot of people end up committing suicide as a result.
"People feel like they can't talk about having debt and needing help because of what other people will say, but people would rather help than see you dead."
The Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey found that more than 100,000 people in debt attempt suicide each year.
Since being notified that she must repay her debt, Ni has managed to pay off £2,200.
The 24-year-old took up busking on Bold Street with friend Jack Lewis, which led to a recurring paid gig at coffee shop and wine bar Ropes & Twines.
Ni also launched 'Bath Tub Jazz' on Instagram Live to raise money in order to pay off her debt.
The idea had been with her since she had completed BBC Merseyside's Ngunan Adamu's iWoman course.
Bath Tub Jazz has since become a show on Albert Dock's SVARA Radio.
Ni still has £2,300 to pay off, and the young singer says she is working full-time in order to pay it off.
Debt advice helplines
If you are struggling to manage your debt there is lots of help out there.
Here's just a few numbers for organisations that will be able to help you.
National debtline: 0808 808 4000 and website https://www.nationaldebtline.org/
Step Change FreeHelpline: 0800 138 1111
Payplan Free Helpline: 0800 280 2816
Debtors Anonymous: debtorsanonymous.org.uk
Christians Against Poverty: capuk.org
Citizen’s Advice: citizensadvice.org.uk
Turn2us Helpline: 0808 802 2000
The Salvation Army: 0207 367 4500
