LESLEY Clark has certainly led a varied life. In 1968, at the tender age of 20, she earned the worthy title of Miss Worcester and was launched into a modelling and acting career.

She left her receptionist job at Tower Manufacturing and went on to take part in beauty contests in Wales, where she was spotted by the producer of Crossroads while competing in the first round of the Miss UK competition.

After a stint as an extra in the popular soap, Lesley moved to the bright lights of London, where she enjoyed a glamorous eight years before heading back to the Faithful City to settle down and have her daughter Lucy.

But when Lucy was just seven, Lesley's world came crashing down around her.

"I found a lump in my breast and doctors confirmed the worst - that it was breast cancer," the 57-year-old of Avening Close, Blackpole, said. "I was only 37 and terrified that I wouldn't live to see my daughter grow up.

"I underwent a partial mastectomy and had radiotherapy every day for a month at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

"It took six months for me to get over it but once I was, I made a conscious decision not to dwell on it, be positive, and get on with my life."

And she certainly did.

In between yoga sessions and rock 'n' roll classes, Lesley is a keen fund-raiser and does collections for charities Marie Curie Cancer Care and the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, among others.

And, up until July, she also worked at Worcestershire Royal Hospital installing TV and radio facilities for patients to have by their bedside.

"It was especially rewarding on the breast cancer ward," she said.

"I'd sit down and talk to patients before they went down for treatment and I was able to reassure them and say 'Look at me, I'm still here'."

But even though Lesley no longer does that job, there is still one little person that makes sure he keeps her busy - her four-year-old grandson Alex.

"I was worried I wouldn't get to see Lucy turn 18, yet here I am going strong and with a wonderful grandson," she said.

It is often women themselves who first notice their breast cancer. Most changes are not caused by cancer but it is very important to report anything unusual to your doctor. Look for:

l Changes in the size, shape or feel of your breasts.

l A new lump or thickening in one breast or armpit.

l Any puckering, dimpling, or redness of the skin.

l Changes in the position of the nipple, a rash or nipple discharge.

l Pain or discomfort that is new to you and felt only on one side.

For some more detailed information visit the www.cancerhelp.org.uk website, click on 'specific cancers'.

BREAST CANCER: THE FACTS

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK apart from non-melanoma skin cancer.

More than 41,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year in the UK.

One in nine women in the UK will develop breast cancer during their lifetime.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death for women in the UK aged 34 to 54.

Age is the biggest risk factor for breast cancer - four out of five cases occur after the age of 50.

Despite recent improvements, due to better treatments and earlier detection, the UK still has one of the highest mortality rates for breast cancer in the world.

Cancer Research UK spends more than £20m a year on breast cancer research.

All women between 50 and 70 are invited for a mammogram every three years by the NHS breast screening programme.

Regular screening is available to women over 70 on request. Contact your GP or local breast screening unit.

It is recommended that women who are at a moderate or high risk of breast cancer due to family history of the disease are screened annually from their early 40s onwards.

Some forms of hormone replacement therapy can increase breast cancer risk.

Being overweight after the menopause and regularly drinking alcohol slightly increases the risk.

Breast cancer can also affect men, but this is rare. Around 290 cases are diagnosed in the UK every year.

Nine out of 10 lumps found by women are not a sign of cancer.

90 per cent of breast cancers are first spotted by women themselves or their partners.