'I'm using the cheapest tissue I can find': The streets where women have to choose between period products and food

As the rain pours down over Harpurhey a woman hurries along with a shopping bag in each hand. The precinct is bustling for a Thursday morning as people flock to stock up on essentials.

With the rising cost of living, the likes of B&M, Wilko and Poundland are packed with families and are seen as a lifeline for many local people struggling to make ends meet. And for many women, there's an extra cost which is adding to the burden.

Heartbreaking research recently revealed that 24 per cent of women who menstruate in the UK said they or their family have struggled to afford period products in the last year.

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The charity WaterAid surveyed 2,000 British women and non-binary people and found that one in four are wearing period products for longer than they should, risking their health. Researchers found one in five are coping by using makeshift materials such as toilet paper or sponges.

One woman admitted: "I'm using the cheapest toilet roll I can find to use for periods. It's not hygienic or recommended, but it's all I can afford."

It comes as stores in Greater Manchester such as Home Bargains, Wilko and Savers were pictured with CCTV signs next to sanitary products - warning shoppers would be prosecuted for shoplifting.

On the streets of Harpurhey, many women said they had been affected by the cost of living, with some saying their only option for period products was to buy own-brand, or rely on the local Poundland.

"I think we are lucky around here because we have a range of shops," said one woman in her late twenties. "I'll just go to Poundland for stuff like that but there are some women who can't buy the cheap stuff because they get a