A FITNESS trainer who has battled cancer for 11 years while juggling her life as an actor, TV personality, children's author and charity founder is undertaking a new challenge.

Mum of three Lea Parris-Cambridge, 49, of Bromycroft Road, Britwell received the devastating news two and a half years ago that the breast cancer initially diagnosed a decade earlier had spread to her liver, bowel and spine.

Her reaction then was to achieve a lifetime's ambition to appear in a pantomime and play the part of Fairy Wonderwings in the Colnbrook based drama group CAST's 2016 Christmas show.

In June this year she had to have a drain fitted in her abdomen and give up exercising at the Magnet Leisure Centre in Maidenhead.

But after spotting an advert for people to train as 'fitness activators' she now leads the Big Community Workout every Saturday morning at Salt Hill Park in Slough.

The workouts start at 10am, last 45 minutes and are free. All are welcome to come along.

Lea said: "I'm so happy to be part of this initiative, helping to get Slough active and healthier. This is potentially life changing for so many people including those at home, often isolated and alone."

Lea is known in Slough for her work at the Volunteer Centre and as an actress at the old West Wing Theatre.

She has never let illness grind her down.

She said: "When I was in hospital after my first operation I read an article about somewhere I knew well, Nevis in the Caribbean. It was my dad's island and I had spent a year there with my son doing fitness training. I had been on television there and people knew me.

"The article made me aware after my own operation that the island had nothing in the way of basic cancer facilities. So I went back and started a charity called the Pink Lily Cancer care to raise awareness.

"I had to do something bigger than me that was not about me."

The charity helped women to travel to other islands for routine testing and in some cases treatment.

Lea is married to Kendol - a chef at Computer Associates in Ditton Park - has a son Ethan, 28 and daughters Lilli, seven and Mia, six.

As well as her work as a fitness activator she has joined the Misfits Theatre Group and is about to appear with them in a play called Romantic Fools.