Mothers who have struggled to come to terms with having a child adopted have received help from a support group.

South West Adoption Network (SWAN) held an open meeting for relatives of adopted people at St. Peter's Parish Centre, Black Dog Way, Gloucester. The meeting was open to mothers, fathers and other relatives of all ages coming to terms with the adoption of a family mender.

Sherry, 48, of Gloucester, had her son adopted when she had a child at the age of 17, and said the group has helped her to piece her life together again.

She said that becoming pregnant so young was a total "no-no" in those days and many young girls in the same position as her had their children adopted.

Sherry, who did not want to give her surname, said: "I always felt something was missing from my life and I worried about my child constantly.

"Other birth mums have felt terrible guilt because of the adoption. They feel that they are second-rate people and did a terrible wrong. Going to the meetings gives you the chance to meet with other like-minded people who have been through the same traumatic experience. They know how you are feeling and identify with you."

A lot of birth mums could feel isolated, as adoption was not something that was spoken about. But SWAN made her feel as if she was not alone -she said it helped her to get her life back on track and to feel better about yourself.

A support worker for SWAN, who did not want to be named, said that in the 1950s and 1960s many women were told to get on with their lives after their children were adopted. She said: "Often, they felt deep regret for the choice they had made and lived with feelings of guilt and worry.

"A lot of these women suffered from physical and mental health problems because they were expected to deal with the adoption alone."

Groups such as SWAN could give people the chance to talk about the impact of adoption, she said. "The group is a small group, and everything said in the meeting is confidential," she said.

"The Gloucester group is a very positive group of birth mothers who have given each other a lot of support. We know there must be many more birth relatives out there coping with adoption.

"Any new members would be very much welcomed into the group. The group would love others to join them as they know how valuable it has been for them."

If you are struggling to cope with the aftermath of adoption call the SWAN helpline on 0845 601 2459