Gemma Merna: 'I found a lump in my breast'

Hollyoaks star Gemma Merna has revealed that she recently found a suspicious lump hidden behind one of her breast implants.

The actress, who plays Carmel Valentine in the Channel 4 soap, told the News of the World that she'd always worried that her implants may hide a lump and so went for a check-up straight away.

"I do check my breasts regularly. But I'd always worried that because of my implants I wouldn't be able to find any lumps that may be there. And the one I did find was just under my implant. I was getting my make-up done at Hollyoaks when I noticed a tender area under my left armpit. So I just felt the area and found a lump.

"It was only quite small but I was scared. I was worried it had been there for ages. That was really terrifying, knowing something could be growing but hidden because of the implants. I did panic but I put the word cancer to the back of my mind.

"I wasn't daft, I knew I had to get it checked out straight away. I saw my GP that day. He said he needed a second opinion and got me an appointment at Ormskirk and District General Hospital within a week. It was very fast. That's when the fear set in."

Merna, who is currently planning her wedding to fiancé Ian Minton, added that the lump turned out to be benign tissue but stressed the importance of young girls checking their breasts regularly.

The soap star recently admitted that she is "freaked out" by the strange fan mail she receives.