ENGLISH teacher by day, playwright by night - now 31-year-old Lucy Gallagher is preparing to debut her first play at the Camden Fringe in August.

The mum-of-one, who teaches at Hertswood Academy in Borehamwood, is putting the final touches to her production, Fats and Tanya - a play inspired by a relative who spent time at a women's refuge centre.

"She was telling me some of the anecdotes about the women who were there with her and I started writing my own little script, putting some kind of drama together," remembers Lucy, who grew up in Cricklewood.

The play, directed by Phoebe Barran, explores the friendship between domestic violence victim, Tanya, and her Bengali support worker, Fatima.

After writing and producing shows for pupils at Hertswood, Lucy sent an early draft of Fats and Tanya to London-based artist training hub salon:collective for its writers' programme, salon:lab.

The salon:collective team were so impressed by Lucy's play they decided to develop it for the Camden Fringe.

"It [Fats and Tanya] pays homage to these people in society who support people," explains Lucy. "There is a message here about supporting victims of domestic violence. Ultimately it is about changing their lives."

From a young age Lucy has been fascinated with writing. She grew up in a household where she was surrounded by literature, music and creativity.

"We would always be encouraged in immersing ourselves in music and drama and dance and all these kind of things," recalls the writer, who is now working on her next play, Cricklewood.

However she admits juggling her time between writing, teaching and raising her son has been trying at times.

"There is an element of you trying to manage your time and stay on top of everything, so I would be typing away late into the night on my computer redrafting it," remembers Lucy, who is inspired by playwrights including Samuel Beckett and William Shakespeare.

"If I have to be tearing my hair out and writing plays at the same time then so be it."

Fats and Tanya, The Etcetera Theatre, August 20 to 23, 4pm. Details: 020 7482 4857, etceteratheatre.com, camdenfringe.com