The manager of a clothes shop is marking the first anniversary of her own breast cancer diagnosis by encouraging shoppers to snap up a fun, pink fashion range in support of Cancer Research UK.

Mum-of-three Catherine Barrett, of Wyke, manager of Peacocks store in Heckmondwike, joined colleagues to promote the products to support the charity’s annual breast cancer campaign Join the Fight for Women’s Survival.

A donation of 15 per cent from the sale price of each product will go to Cancer Research UK.

Mrs Barrett, 46, was diagnosed with breast cancer in October last year. She said: “I had some pain in my chest which I thought was indigestion but when I rubbed it I thought I could feel a lump. I went to my GP who said it was probably a cyst or an abscess and was given some antibiotics. But a week later, the lump was still there.”

After going back to her GP, she was sent to the breast clinic at St Luke’s Hospital in Bradford for tests and that is when she found out she had grade II breast cancer.

Only two days later she had a lumpectomy and some lymph nodes removed and doctors found some cancer cells had spread. “I was scheduled to start chemo just after Christmas so on Christmas Day my two daughters (aged 24 and 18) cut off my long hair for me in preparation,” she said. “There were tears, but it made me feel more in control of what was happening to me.”

Her treatment only finished in August, and although it made her feel nauseous and tired, she was able to keep working. She is on a five year course of Tamoxifen and has six-monthly check-ups. “Every October I had helped promote Peacocks range for Cancer Research UK as part of my job,” said Mrs Barrett. “I didn’t know anyone close to me who had had cancer and always thought it was something that happened to other people. “I now urge every woman to be breast aware and look out for any changes.

“I am living proof that research into breast cancer leads to effective treatments and does save lives. But this research is very expensive so Cancer Research UK needs everyone to sign up to the cause and raise money to fund the charity’s work.”