A couple who faced 19 years in prison after a friend accused them of rape have claimed they are still mystified why she put them through the nightmare ordeal.

Neil Coulson and Joanne Evans from Clavering, Hartlepool, appeared on today's This Morning to share their story after the allegations against them were dropped last week.

They told presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield that their lives have been ruined due to the threat of jail hanging over their family for nearly two years, as they battled to clear their names.

Scroll down for video

Joanne Evans and her partner Neil Coulson appeared on today's This Morning to share their ordeal after a friend accused them of rape after a drunken night at their house

Mother-of-three Joanne, 36, recalled how their ordeal began in January 2015 after they invited friends, who cannot be named for legal reasons, over to their home one evening and events took an unusual turn after they had a few drinks.

She recalled: 'Things started to get provocative and frisky and the woman started taking off her clothes. We went along with it as we thought it was a bit of harmless fun.

'They were drunk and we joked they were swingers because of their behaviour, we were laughing and joking about it.'

Their friend's husband then went home and left his drunk wife locked out of their house, so Neil and Joanne said she should stay over.

'We put her in our bed and we slept downstairs on the sofa,' Joanne said.

The next day, she said they 'all laughed and joked about what happened that night and how drunk we were.'

Joanne added: 'We had been a bit embarrassed by what she was doing but laughed about it. Everything was normal.'

However, four days later, Neil, 37, a multi-coded welder, said their lives were 'shattered' when the police came to their home to arrest them.

The couple said their lives were 'shattered' when the police arrested them and they spent 23 hours in a cell while awaiting questioning and having DNA samples collected

The couple, who have three children, told Holly Willoughby and Phillip Scofield that their health and work prospects were ruined by the allegations

The pair, who have children aged 16, 10 and one, were both charged with raping the woman. They were held in a prison cell for 23 hours and had to have DNA samples taken.

Joanne said: 'I was gobsmacked, I had no idea this would happen, I was in shock.

'Being locked up for 23 hours, was the worst 23 hours of my life. It was horrific, being away from our children and worried they would find out.'

After no evidence was found, the charges were initially dropped but then resurfaced a short time later when the woman appealed and the couple were told the case would be sent to trial.

They were told if they pleaded guilty they would be likely to get an eight year jail term, while if they pleaded not guilty and were convicted, they could be locked up for 19 years.

Joanne said of the jail term they faced if they pleaded not guilty and were convicted: 'It did niggle in the back of mind that we could get 19 years for something we didn't do'

The pair said despite the threat of such a long jail term, they would never have pleaded guilty.

Joanne said: 'We were innocent and that was the way it was staying. It did niggle in the back of mind that we could get 19 years for something we didn't do.

'What would happen to my children? I couldn't bear thinking about it.'

During their agonising wait for a trial, Joanne said she suffered from depression and had to shut down her beauty salon.

She explained: 'Emotionally I couldn't deal with it, getting up for work and putting a brave face on.

'At the beauty salon I had to give intimate treatments like bikini waxes and clients had to trust me. I felt I couldn't carry on with what I was accused of.'

Neil said they still ask themselves why the woman accused them of rape

Neil also lost work contracts and pair said it has been difficult to live with the allegations hanging over them.

Finally last week, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) offered no evidence and dropped the charge.

They were then formally found not guilty by a judge at Teesside Crown Court.

Joanne said they are relieved it is over but upset their names have been dragged through the mud and there may always be people who believe their accuser's word over theirs.

She said: 'We couldn't understand why someone would want to do this to an innocent family, we could have spent 19 years in jail.

'We have been named and branded, there is no going back even though we have been found innocent.'

Neil said 'We still ask yourselves why did she do it? Was it embarrassment?'

The couple pictured last week after they were cleared at Teesside Crown Court when the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) offered no evidence and dropped the charge against them

Joanne added that they believe the law should be changed so people who have been accused of rape should not be identified, in the same way victims of sexual assault, alleged or proven, are protected.

She said they will now try to 'take control and move on' with their lives as they want to 'wipe the slate clean'.

Phillip read out a statement from the father of the woman who accused the couple which stated: 'We stand by what was reported. This has torn our lives apart and we worry this will stop others coming forward.'

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said of the case: 'In all cases, it is the duty of prosecutors to ensure that there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.

The couple pictured with their youngest child said they now want to wipe the slate clean and move on with their lives

'Criminal cases are kept under continuous review to ensure that charges are supported by sufficient evidence.

'During a recent case review, in consultation with Prosecution Counsel, it became clear that there was not a realistic prospect of conviction.