Rebekah Vardy says she felt 'suicidal' after abuse sparked by Coleen Rooney row

Rebekah Vardy has said the abuse she went through after allegations by Coleen Rooney left her feeling suicidal.

Rooney made the allegations that Vardy had been leaking information to the press about her private life, following some Instagram-sleuthing.

Vardy, 38, has denied any wrongdoing, and has now launched libel proceedings against Rooney.

In documents filed to the High Court in advance of the case, the wife of the Leicester City player Jamie Vardy said she feared losing her baby due to the stress caused by the incident.

The papers add she "has suffered extreme distress, hurt, anxiety and embarrassment as a result of the publication of the post and the events which followed.

"The abuse that followed the post made the claimant feel suicidal. She suffered from severe panic attacks and anxiety which manifested in being scared to leave her house".

Vardy "also suffered from severe insomnia. She was taken to hospital three times while pregnant as she suffered anxiety attacks as a result of the post and the repercussions from it. The claimant's stress was such that she had concerns about losing her baby or going into early labour".

According to the papers, Vardy continues to "suffer severe and extreme hostility and abuse as a result of the post".

The papers say that on "3 June 2020, following the police announcement that a new suspect had been identified in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, the claimant was the subject of a number of highly distressing publications on Twitter alleging she was the suspect".

:: Listen to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

They claim Rooney has never apologised for the allegations, "nor sought to correct in any way, her very public accusation that the claimant has leaked stories about her to The Sun".

Vardy still suffers from "mental anguish" and "anxiety", according to the papers, adding Vardy "reasonably believed that the defendant published the post in a calculated and deliberate manner that was designed to cause very serious harm and enormous distress".

Additionally, the documents state that Vardy believes she was "made a scapegoat" by Rooney, "for past 'leaked' stories that have been published about the defendant and her husband, in particular about their marriage, which have in fact come from the defendant's friends, at times even with the defendant's approval".

Sky News has contacted Rooney's lawyer.

Her legal team said in June that Vardy's decision to take her to court was "disappointing" and that "her offer to meet face to face still stands", according to the BBC.