Due to the coronavirus, The National Domestic Abuse helpline has seen a 25% increase in calls and online requests for help since the lockdown, the charity Refuge says.

It received hundreds more calls last week compared to two weeks earlier, the charity which runs the helpline said.

Campaigners have warned the restrictions could heighten domestic tensions and cut off escape routes.

The charity said pressure on other services and awareness campaigns could have also led to the increase. 

One woman, who fled her abuser a few days ago, told the BBC life had become intolerable since the lockdown started. 

'Tara', who asked the BBC not to use her real name, said she had been suffering mental and physical abuse from her partner for six months. 

When the lockdown began things became markedly worse. 

To start with the abuse was subtle: "Isolating me from my family and friends… thinking I'm cheating on him when I'm with him all the time… just controlling".

Her abuser deleted her social media accounts and stopped her from seeing family.

She says he was "mentally abusive, verbally and obviously hitting me… recently it's obviously been getting worse, since the lockdown."

"It's been bad… I didn't care if I didn't wake up like from the night before... I just knew what was going to happen the next day, I just wanted the days to go past."

"As soon as he gets up, he tries to cause an argument out of nothing, and if I fire back he'll just hit me." 

Tara has now fled to a refuge in Wales, and is being supported by Llamau, a charity for young people and vulnerable women.

• 'I'm in coronavirus lockdown with my abuser'
• Abuse victims may fear 'no support available'
• Abuse victims still allowed to leave home - Patel