A SOMERSET man has moved celebrities with his powerful story of abuse as a 10-year-old, while helping to raise more than £1million for charity.

Josh Tuck waited two years to tell his family he’d been raped because of threats the teenager made to him.

The abuse he suffered had a profound impact on his childhood and he turned to alcohol after suffering with severe depression.

Josh’s story was read to 650 people who attended the annual event, including celebrities, which is hosted to raise funds for the NSPCC-run Childline service.

His story was read to guests by actor Martin Freeman.

Josh was raped by his neighbour, who is four years older than him, after staying overnight with his eight-year-old sister at his house.

Josh said: “Christopher began by asking me to play a game with him, which involved taking off one item of clothing at a time. There was a rape. I estimate it lasted for 45 minutes.

“I was begging my sister and Christopher’s sister to let me in their room after the rape. So my sister knew but she was young so that wasn’t extremely helpful.”

Josh said he didn’t feel like he could tell anyone because of threats, and Christopher molested and groped him again on several occasions after that, when Josh would stay over.

Josh eventually felt able to speak out about the abuse he had suffered with his family.

He said: “Even after I had told people, I just wanted to pretend it could go away.

“After my mum called the police the first time, I pulled out before the video interviews because it was just too much.

“My recollection of those few years is very bad; I blocked it out.”

Thirteen years after his ordeal, his aggressor, Christopher Leydon, was found guilty of a rape of a boy under 13 among other charges. He was sentenced to seven years on October 6, 2017 at Worcester Crown Court.

Josh has bravely shared his story in the hope that other children and young people who have suffered abuse will speak out, and to raise awareness of Childline.

He added: “I didn’t tell anybody because I felt I didn’t have someone to speak to from whom I could then shut off.

“Had I had someone who could have told me what my avenues were, that would have been very helpful.

“I want other people to feel they can come forward. You have already been through probably what is the worst thing that is ever going to happen to you, and everything from there on isn’t going to be as difficult. That includes telling people what happened.”

The Childline Ball raised £1,072,333.