A GRAN whose mum almost died when a fishing boat she was on was bombed by the Nazis has penned a book about her incredible life story.

Sonia Murgatroyd, 75, recounts the terrifying moment she thought she was going to lose her life in 'Waiting to Die', a gripping page-turner about fleeing Belgium for Britain during the Second World War.

The book tells the remarkable story of the Skelmorlie woman's parents, step-father John and mum Rosina, whose dream of becoming an Olympic gymnast was brought to an end by the horrific conflict.

Sonia's family tried to escape to their new life in Wales via a fishing boat, but when berthed at a port in northern France, tragedy struck as the pier was bombed and a number of lives lost.

The boat had scores of people fleeing Belgium on board including Sonia's cousins, aunts and uncles. The shelling saw it split in two and sink, taking hundreds to their graves.

Rosina clung on to some debris in the sea before she was rescued, but suffered nightmares for years to come.

Sonia, who has two children and three grandchildren, told the News that her mother showed great fortitude and resilience to begin a new life and raise a family.

She said: "So many things happened to my mother, what she went through was unbelievable. From the age of 13 up until she died, there was always something was happening in her life, and I simply had to write it all down.

"My mum would have gone to the Olympics if the war hadn't happened, and her story starts there.

"The book is split into two parts, happened to the family in Belgium and the bombing and the second part about moving to Wales.

"They had almost no money, no place to live and could barely afford food or clothing.

"They were taken in by a woman who had an alcoholic husband and five children before eventually being given a council house.

"At that point the domestic violence started, and only got worse. It became so bad my mum tried to take her life on a number of occasions. She was put through electric shock treatment to try and blur out her past, it was horrific when you look back on it now."

Sonia says the bombing of the boat lived with her mum until the day she died.

She added: "There was a lot of little ones on that boat when it was bombed. My mum was thrown into the water and someone tried to stay afloat by hanging on to her. She had to kick them away to survive herself. It caused awful nightmares."

The book covers some very deep issues.

Sonia's daughter Andrea said: "It very much details the hardship that my grandmother had to go through but there are also pockets of happiness and wellbeing such as even my mum showing remarkable courage and being so forgiving.

"The book's title 'Waiting to Die' becomes more apparent as it reaches its conclusion which has a surprising twist at the end."

Sonia lives in Beithglass Avenue with her husband Bob after retiring to Skelmorlie and has wanted to tell her mum's story for many years.

The book is available to purchase by visiting austinmacauley.com/book/waiting-die-based-true-story