Line dancing teacher Gabrielle Hancock is returning to classes as she fights for life.

Her new course at Scaynes Hill Village Hall will be a milestone in her recovery from cervical cancer.

It will be the first time for most of this year she has felt fit enough to teach the dances she loves to a full class.

Until this year Gabrielle was bursting with energy, teaching the dancing she learned to love while living in Texas at Sussex Ranch Branch classes in Mid Sussex.

But then cancer struck, leading to a life-or-death operation at the Royal Marsden Hospital, Fulham, in March.

In June, six weeks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy followed.

Regulars at one of her classes delighted her by keeping the sessions going under their own steam in Haywards Heath.

Slowly Gabrielle, 46, who is married with one son, became strong enough to watch the dancers and then join in for couple of numbers.

And on October 4 she will fulfil her pledge to run another course for beginners by starting a ten-week introduction session.

As she prepares, Gabrielle, of Vale Road, Haywards Heath, especially remembers the kindness of people who supported her through her darkest days.

Although she cannot be certain for five years that the cancer will not return, she said their backing had helped her fight the disease so far.

Gabrielle said: "People from all over the place raised thousands of pounds in May with a dance at Crawley Leisure Centre to send my family and I to Orlando.

"I knew nothing about it being organised. That was an incredible thing for them to do. It shows the spirit behind line dancing.

"Cancer is something you have to fight and get over alone. People get frustrated they cannot help you more.

"But just their kindness and the fact people support you helps you so much. And the cards . . . I got hundreds of them.

"I am now starting to teach new dances again. The new classes are going to ease me back into it because I need to get my strength up.

"The problem with this cancer is you can't say for certain you are free of it. It is just a wait and see game.

"I will have to have regular checks over the next five years.

"It will be so nice to be back."