A COUNTY actress was back in the spotlight this week after making a guest appearance in one of the nation's favourite soaps.

During the 1990s, Nicola Charles kept Neighbours fans gripped as her character Sarah Beaumont fell hopelessly in love with dishy doctor Karl Kennedy - threatening to break up his marriage with Susan.

And this week, the Worcestershire-born actress returned to Ramsey Street as part of the programme's 20th anniversary celebrations.

Nicola, aged 35, said she was thrilled to have taken part in the episode, which was filmed in February.

"I have been approached by Neighbours a few times to go back and, although I was flattered, I refused. But I couldn't refuse to take part in such a milestone and filmed my part in my back garden as I had only given birth four weeks earlier," she said.

Nicola made her debut in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough in 1996, when receptionist Sarah arrived at Number 30 after leaving a difficult relationship in England.

Nicola now lives in London but often brings her nine-month-old daughter, Freya, back to Worcestershire to see her family in Droitwich and Harvington, near Evesham.

"It's great to come back, take walks and get fresh air in our lungs!" she said.

PORCHA TREANOR