My maid of honor and best friend of 28 years took my husband away from me.

Claire could not believe it when best friend of 28 years Louise shared secret text messages with her husband Paul

When Claire got engaged she knew exactly who she wanted as chief bridesmaid – her best friend of 28 years, Louise. The pair, both 32, had been close pals since attending nursery school together.

During their teens and twenties they shared their hopes and dreams. They worked together, went on holiday together and even ended up living on the same street in Winsford, Cheshire. And after factory worker Paul Wallis, 36, asked Claire to marry him, she wanted Louise at her side on her big day to share her joy.

So she felt doubly betrayed when, just two years later, Paul Louise. Mum-of-two Claire says: “Louise and I were more than just friends - I trusted her with my life. “But I look at my wedding photos now and can’t help wondering whether even back then she was planning on getting her claws into my husband. “It’s been heartbreaking."

Claire and Louise’s friendship began when they were just four years old. She says: “We went to nursery then through school together and always hung out as teenagers. “Over the years we had laughed and cried together and shared secrets and holidays. “Claire was 18 when she met Paul, a co-worker at a local packing plant. He was four years older than her and kept pestering her for her number.

She finally agreed and on their first date they really hit it off. She says: “Paul and I often double-dated with Louise and her boyfriend Dave. “We even worked in the same packing factory and lived next door-but-one to each other. We were inseparable. “In December 2002, Claire found out she was about to become a mum for the first time. And when son Rio, now 11, came along in September 2003, she didn’t think twice about whom to ask to be godmother.

She says: “I thought Louise would be the best godmother to my children. “And her life seemed complete when Paul proposed two weeks later. She says: “I was so happy and I couldn’t wait to tell Louise. “She was so excited for me. She was the only person I wanted as my maid of honor.”

Together the friends enjoyed talking about Claire’s wedding plans and, when the big day arrived in June 2005, Louise was the ideal bridesmaid. Claire says: “We sobbed together as a bunch of flowers arrived from Paul in the morning, along with a soppy note. “Louise was crying, saying she was so happy for us. She said we were perfect for each other. “It was the happiest day of my life and sharing it with her made it all the more special. “In 2007, after a blissful two years of marriage, she discovered she was pregnant again. But after she had her first scan she felt Paul had started to change.

Claire explains: “Until then, he had been the most loving husband a girl could ask for. “He was always leaving little love messages and making romantic gestures. “But after our first scan of baby number two he seemed to lose interest in me. He was not his normal self and was forever taking the dog out for a walk. “Naturally, Claire confided her worries in Louise. She says: “Louise told me Paul would never cheat on me because he loved me too much. “I put my worries down to pregnancy hormones and believed in her words of support.”

But just six months on, as Claire was starting her maternity leave, her mum Sandra, 50, delivered shocking news. Claire says: “Mum worked at the same factory as the rest of us and came home one day saying she had seen Paul and Louise larking around in the warehouse. “She said there was something about the way they were together that she didn’t like - they were too close.

“I was confused and didn’t believe it. When I confronted Louise she played it down, saying she and Paul were just having a laugh. “I did my best to put the niggling doubts to the back of my mind, but I was worried. “Son Harley, now seven, was born in March 2008 and, for a month; Claire thought things at home were back to normal. But her hopes were shattered on her and Paul’s first night out together since the birth.

She says: “We went to the local pub and Paul was drinking a lot. By closing time he was hunched over the loo in the pub toilet being sick. “As I was helping him to his feet I saw his phone poking out of his pocket with a message on the screen. “He never used to let his phone out of his sight so I took it and read the text.”

What she saw horrified her. There was text after text from the same woman - Louise. She says: “My stomach just flipped. They were all from Louise and the first one read: ‘Hi babe! What you been up to? I’m home, going to bed now. XX Lou.’ “My whole world fell apart. I screamed at Paul but he was too drunk to answer. “Claire then went straight round to confront Louise. She says: “At first Louise was having none of it, denying everything. But when I showed her the texts she turned white as a sheet - and I stormed out.”

The following day, Paul tried to play down the texts, claiming he and Louise were just friends. But after an agonizing month, Claire was forced to admit the damage was done. She says: “I loved Paul so much but whatever we’d had, it was broken. The trust was gone. We broke up and set a date to talk about things for a few weeks ahead, saying we’d both see how we felt. “Then Paul dropped the bombshell news that he was going for a drink with Louise. “It finally sank in - it was Louise he wanted, my best friend, my maid of honor, the godmother to his son.

“‘I found out that she and Dave were splitting up, and when I confronted her she just told me to get over it and that she could go for a drink with whoever she wanted. “I couldn’t believe she wanted to just throw away our friendship. I’d lost it all - my husband and my best mate.”

Over the following weeks, Claire suffered the agony of seeing her husband sneak in and out of Louise’s house. She says: “I couldn’t take it any longer and moved in with my sister while I looked for a place of my own. There was no official announcement but everyone knew Louise and Paul were together. “Money problems have meant that, six years on, Claire is still married to Paul - despite him now being in a full-time relationship with Louise. He and Louise even have a son together, born in March 2012.

Meanwhile Claire has also had another son, Logan, four, with new partner Danny Asbury, 24.She says: “The sad fact is I can’t afford to divorce Paul. “But I still can’t get over the deceit and the way neither of them ever apologized to me. “The friendship Louise and I had is gone forever. I can’t believe my husband is now with our maid of honor. “Paul refused to comment. Louise said: “We got together after Paul split from Claire.”