Hazel was born in 1956 in Manchester, her father was a member of the socialist party and had fought with them in the civil war, her mother was a schoolteacher. Hazel got a schollarship and was able to study history and law at worcester university (1975 - 1978). She remained at the university after her study time and became a junior lecturer (1978 - 1984) in 1984 she was able to go on a round the world tour (1984 - 1985).