'I began searching for my birth mum in May 1991 by contacting the Catholic Children's Rescue Society in Man­chester. A nun there called Sr Philomena was able to give me some information. My mother's name is Ann. She was born on 28 October 1943 in Dublin and according to the society's records, when my mother had me she was staying at St Teresa's on Broome Lane in Manchester, which was a single mothers' home run by nuns.

The records went on to say that Ann moved to England with her husband in 1968. They had two daughters: Christina and Julia. The eldest girl, Christina, who was six at the time, stayed with her grandmother in Dublin and Julia, who was four, was put into foster care in Coventry until the family found better accommodation. But the marriage wasn't working so they separated shortly after they arrived in England and my mother came to Manchester from Coventry to stay with friends.

It was there that she met my father – a man called Steve. All I know about him is that he was from Bolton, was 19 years old and he left my mother when she fell pregnant. Apparently she felt quite desperate and alone so she contacted a doctor, who arranged for her to be admitted to St Teresa's. By all accounts she was quite happy there and treated well but the pregnancy was difficult and she was in and out of hospital a lot.

I was born on 4 July 1969 at the Park Hospital in Salford, Manchester, and was given the name Louise Bernadette. My mother felt that she couldn't provide the security that I needed and she really wanted me to have two parents so I was put up for adoption by the Catholic Children's Rescue Society on 2 September 1969 and placed with my new parents, an Irish couple living in Manchester, on 17 February 1970. They gave me the name Michalla Louise Coleman.

When I was six years old my mum explained to me that I'd been adopted. My reply was that I'd been given away like a rotten apple. But I was just a child and I didn't understand. I'm not bitter at all.

In fact, I can't thank my birth mum enough. I had a very happy upbringing. God knows what the woman went through at that time. She must have been terrified.

The strange thing is that I grew up just down the road from Broome Lane, so if Ann stayed in that area after leaving St Teresa's, I could've walked past her on a daily basis and I'd never have known. I still look at women now with fair hair and blue eyes like me and wonder if it's her.

Ann is described in documents as being 5ft 3in tall and of a slim build with fair hair and blue eyes. Her personality is described as being "kind-hearted and on the reserved side" and her occupation was listed as "factory worker". It also says that she had extended Irish family living in Dublin who didn't know about me. That's the thing that I'm worried about – has she told anyone after all these years? I don't want to upset people. I don't want to ruin anyone's life.

My mum and dad are fine with me searching for her. Myself and my adopted brother couldn't have asked for better parents. They know that I love them to bits and that will never change. They just don't want me to get hurt. But I have to try and get some closure.

If I met my birth mum I'd tell her that I understand how difficult it must have been for her back then and that I don't hold anything against her. I know it wasn't her fault that she had to give me up. I want her to meet her grandsons, who are aged three and 13 and I'd absolutely love to meet my half-sisters. That would be amazing. It would mean so much to me. I can't put it into words."