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Wales Online
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
I hid from the world when cancer changed my body until dancing transformed my life
I hid from the world when cancer changed my body until dancing transformed my life Despite radiotherapy, appointments, exhaustion and pain, Rachael Anderson never missed a training session Rachael Anderson could no longer recognise herself, after her devastating breast cancer diagnosis in 2021 (Image: Rachael Anderson ) After being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 37, Rachael Anderson withdrew from the world—overwhelmed by the changes to her body and mind. Looking in the mirror became difficult, and the idea of facing others felt impossible. She certainly never imagined herself as a dancer. Yet four years after her initial diagnosis, sandwiched between her dance instructor Louise Evans and fellow dancer Emma Llewellyn, Rachael has found the courage not only to dance, but to share her story. The mum-of-two's path with Creazione Dance Company in Caerphilly didn't begin with choreography or costumes. It started as a search for healing—physically and emotionally. After completing her treatment and ringing the bell to mark the end of her breast cancer treatment on World Cancer Day 2022—a year after her diagnosis—Rachael shared her experience on Facebook. That post would change everything. Among the responses was a message from Louise, whom Rachael knew from previous fitness classes. Louise had a proposal. "She invited me back to her classes," Rachael recalls. "At first, I wasn't sure I could do it. Article continues below "T o be honest, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I hid from the world, I was a bit embarrassed. And I know I shouldn't be, but it's one of those things. Your body changes, your mindset changes, everything does." Chemotherapy had taken Rachael's hair. Steroids had changed her body. "I didn't recognise myself in the mirror," she says. "I didn't see the old Rachael anymore." Rachael shared that she has seen "15 versions" of herself over the last few years (Image: Rachael Anderson ) Despite her hesitation, Louise persisted. She told Rachael about a charity event that Creazione Dance Company was organising in collaboration with Welsh Ice for breast cancer. Louise was bringing together a group of "non-dancers" to perform Latin dance in support of the cause. It was a leap into the unknown—especially as Rachael didn't know anyone else in the group. But she showed up. "I don't know how I walked through those doors, I didn't know anyone at the time, but I thought, 'I need to do this,'" she explains. Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here There she met Emma Llewellyn and seven other women - all of whom were there for their own personal reasons. "I joined Creazione after I had my own health problems," Emma shared candidly. "I had a mini-stroke, so decided to start at the gym and take care of myself a little bit more. When I lost my dad to lung cancer, not long after, I needed something more. Creazione was recommended to me, so I decided to have a look. That's when I met Louise." Meeting Louise, for Emma, was like meeting someone who truly saw her. "She just listened. I wasn't just another number to get through the door. When she mentioned putting together a group of non-dancers, I wanted in. My daughter dances formation and I'd always admired that. I never thought I could do it myself." Rachael said steroids and chemotherapy changed her hair and body (Image: Rachael Anderson ) And then, she met Rachael. "I probably talked her ear off the first day," Emma laughs. "She hasn't gotten rid of me! Honestly, when I learnt about her story, I just found it so incredibly inspiring. "When my dad was alive, he was a really positive person right to the very end. He went ziplining, he tried to tick off everything on his bucket list and Rachael reminded me of that. Of not letting this illness define them." As rehearsals went on, the group soon felt less like a class and more like a family. But just as the bond between them deepened, something changed. In July, just five months after getting the all-clear for breast cancer, Rachael began suffering from intense, frequent headaches. "There wasn't a lot of time between me ringing the bell and my secondary diagnosis," Rachael says. "At first I thought it could have been something to do with my job. I am a civil servant so work in an office in front of a computer most days. I just thought that it could've been something to do with that." However, as the migraines grew consistent and increasingly more painful, Rachael knew that something was wrong. "I do live with pain, but I have learnt mask it very well. I just take paracetamol because I can't handle very strong painkillers. But there were training sessions leading up to the fundraiser where I would be balling my eyes out because the headaches were that painful. "It was daily and it was to the point where I'd have a headache and have to stop whatever I was doing, go into a dark room and just lie there. "My licence was even taken off me and I wasn't allowed to drive. No amount of paracetamol would stop it. I even tried co-codamol, and like I said, I usually don't take strong painkillers. Nothing touched it. Nothing I did stopped the pain at all. "Not many people took me seriously. I remember asking my partner once, 'Would you just massage my head?' And he was like, 'For a headache?' I bring that up a lot now, he feels very guilty." Rachael and her fellow dancers at Creazione raised money for Breast Cancer - but this was just the beginning (Image: Emma Llewellyn ) Eventually, Rachael went to the opticians - the first port of call when one experience migraines - however, Rachael says that she knew it had nothing to do with her eyes. "As soon as I went to the opticians and they said, 'You going to have to go to the eye hospital' I was like, 'This is nothing to do with my eyes. I know it's not.' That's when I decided to go to A&E. "The doctor couldn't believe I came in 'just for a headache,'" she says. "But I stood my ground. I knew something was wrong. I asked for scans." The results were devastating. "He came back looking ashamed. He wouldn't meet my eyes. He just looked down and said: 'I'm really sorry. You have a tumour in your brain. It looks like the cancer has spread. It's now secondary.'" What followed was a whirlwind: an urgent mask fitting, and then radiotherapy to her head. All the while, Rachael kept dancing. "In spite of everything—appointments, exhaustion, pain—she never missed a single training session," Emma says. "Not one," Louise confirms. "Honestly, I wouldn't have made it through without Louise, Creazione and of course all the girls," Rachael says emotionally. "They became my family, and that's what kept me going. My two children are my priority, but this team, this community, helped me fight through the darkest days. At that point in her journey, Rachael reflected on how much she had changed. "I think I've been about 15 different versions of myself," she said. "I've gone from being a married mum, to going through divorce, battling breast cancer, finding a new partner, starting to dance, then facing secondary cancer… with each challenge, I've had to shift who I am and how I see the world. "I had met my partner just about a year before my diagnosis, and he stood by me through everything. I told him he could walk away—I even insisted, under duress—but he refused to leave. He stayed. "At the end of the day, I'm not the same person I was. I still struggle with things like my weight. I look in the mirror and I don't see the Rachael I saw 10 years ago. But we all change. And slowly, I'm learning to like the new Rachael." The charity event that Rachael joined marked the beginning of a new chapter in her life, one where dance and community would become the foundations of her strength. Rachael explained: "After we did that fundraiser, we had a bit of a gap but we all found ourselves missing each other. We'd built something special." Encouraged by Louise, the team decided to reunite, and transitioned from charity events to competitive dance, starting at the famous Blackpool Tower. "The step from charity to competition was massive," says Louise. "Competing at the prestigious Blackpool Tower Ballroom was a huge step up—it was a huge change and a whole new level for us. But I believed in the girls. I knew they could do it. So we got our heads together and made it happen. "We were training two, sometimes three times a week. I've worked with other dance teams before, I have been a dance instructor for 35 years, but none have trained as hard or as consistently as our senior team. They really wanted it. And I think that drive came from the fact that we all shared one vision, one goal. "A lot of that heart came from what Rachael has gone through—and continues to go through. But it wasn't just her. It was Emma's story, too. And others joined us for so many reasons: mental health struggles, loneliness, the need for connection, for escapism, for friendship. Everyone brought something personal, and that's what made this team so special." In 2024, it was time for the World Championships in Blackpool. " It's very expensive to go. We're talking thousands of pounds, dresses are thousands of pounds. We fundraised the travel costs, made the dresses ourselves on a short budget… nothing like this is ever cheap," Louise recalls. However, Rachael faced another devastating challenge in the lead-up to the competition. The possibility that her cancer had spread from her head to her spine became a very real and frightening prospect. "I was in a lot of pain," Rachael shared. "The chemo seemed to have ruined my bones, and I had constant pain in my hips. Then they found something on my spine." Just days before the team was set to travel to Blackpool, Rachael's doctors had to give her the medical approval to go—and to dance. Against all odds, she did both. Emma marvels, "I don't know how she gets on the floor sometimes, but she does." The team's hard work and determination paid off when they placed fourth at the World Championships—a huge achievement for everyone involved. Rachael (left) dancing with her partner Kerry in Blackpool Tower (Image: Emma Llewellyn ) Thankfully, in the spring of 2025, Rachael received some long-awaited good news. "We found out it wasn't cancer," she explained. "But my spine is wearing away from all the treatments. When I had my breast cancer treatments, I was also part of a trial drug programme. You never know how those drugs will affect you—and in my case, they think the trial drugs weakened my bones. So, while it wasn't cancer, it's still taken a toll." "Between placing fourth and Rachael's news, it was a massive confidence boost," Louise said. Spurred on by their progress, the team set their sights on the Welsh Alliance Championships in May 2025 — a competition they went on to win, marking a major milestone in their journey. Creizione Dance's Latin Senior team placed fourth at their first competitive event at Blackpool Tower (Image: Emma Llewellyn ) Since then, the team has only grown in strength, expanding into multiple formation teams. "We started with just one senior formation team of eight," Louise says. "Now, we have 25 members and three different teams... but it feels like we've only just begun." Rachael's journey hasn't been easy, and her battle with cancer is ongoing. "I have head scans every three months to monitor the tumour and make sure it's not growing," Rachael shared. "After my last scan, because it's remained stable, they've now moved me to scans every four months. It might not sound like a big difference, but to me, it's huge—it's one less scan a year. "They're still scanning my spine regularly, though, just to make sure whatever's there doesn't develop into something more serious. It could be anything—osteoporosis, arthritis—they're just keeping a close eye on it." Yet through it all, dance has been a constant source of healing, confidence, and community. For Louise, Creazione's mission has always been rooted in building a supportive environment where people of all ages and backgrounds can come together through the power of dance. "We've always been about the community," Louise explains. The Senior Latin Team have gone onto win the Welsh Alliance Competition - an incredible achievement (Image: Emma Llewellyn ) Creazione Dance Company, which has been thriving in Caerphilly for the past 20 years, began as a community-focused initiative to get young people active through dance. Over time, the company has expanded its offerings to cater to all ages—from toddlers to seniors—and all skill levels. Today, the studio is home to a wide range of styles, including street, ballet, and contemporary dance. The company has carved out a particular niche in Latin American dance—think Strictly Come Dancing, with Paso Doble, Salsa, and more. It's this energetic and expressive style that Rachael and Emma have come to embody with pride. For Rachael, dance has become an essential part of her healing journey. "It's funny, because I hate getting dressed up and doing all the costumes," she admits. "But now, I love having my make up done. The first time I had my hair and makeup done for a competition, I couldn't believe the compliments. So I do like that side of it because I never wear makeup normally." And although her journey is far from over, Rachael's story continues to inspire those around her. Emma, has seen first-hand how dancing has not only transformed her own life but also brought together a group of people with similar struggles. "We've all been through so much," Emma shares. "And with everything Rachael's been through, she's still the first one knocking on the door, encouraging us to keep going... It just shows that you can live with it and do things. "She's inspired all of us, and that's what makes this so powerful. We've found a family here, and that's something I'll always be grateful for." Looking ahead, the team is preparing for the next level of competition, with new members joining in, including men. The team is set to compete in the British Championships in Blackpool later this year, as well as the World Championships in February 2026. "It's ambitious, but we've come so far. And I believe in this team," Louise says. As the dance company continues to grow, Louise hopes more people will find the kind of healing and connection that Rachael, Emma and so many other's have discovered. " I think that it's important for our community to know that there are groups out there— partnerships and programs that you can get involved in — that can genuinely enhance your mental health and give you more of a positive outlook on whatever it is you're going through. "Whether it is cancer like Rachel or something else... strokes, heart attacks, divorces— there's lots of support out there," she says. "And for me, dance is a really good outlet for expressing yourself showing feeling emotion and being allowed to do that, with a group of people who are likeminded." Article continues below
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Noughties playboy who dated a string of Page 3 models including Katie Price and Rhian Sugden and even married Jodie Marsh is unrecognisable now - and leading a VERY different life
Noughties model heartthrob and ex playboy Matt Peacock now looks completely unrecognisable after his brief brushes with fame - and is leading a very different life. Matt, 42, - who is most famous for his relationships with Katie Price and Jodie Marsh - is still a successful model and posts many of his campaigns to his Instagram page. And after failed romances with the likes of former glamour model Katie, Rhian Sugden and ex wife Jodie, he is now happily married to wife Rachael, who he wed in 2016. The pair welcomed a daughter called Lily in 2018. Now he looks wildly different from his noughties lothario character - having ditched his dyed blonde locks and opting for a clean cut brunette look. Settled down with a family he appears to live a wholesome life in the countryside near his native Manchester which is a far cry from his old playboy lifestyle. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Having a clear love for fitness he often snaps shirtless pictures from the gym, while also sharing sweet snaps and videos of his daughter and two dogs. Matt and his wife are still mixing in celebrity circles as he is close with former Corrie star Ryan Thomas having shared snaps from his 40th birthday last June. One snap showed Matt, his wife, Ryan and Ryan's fiancée Lucy Mecklenburgh all posing together. Matt, originally from Manchester began his career as a model. He was on the books of agency Boss Model Management and starred in several high-profile campaigns. Matt is now signed to agency Model Team. Just a few months after she welcomed her first son Harvey with ex Dwight Yorke in 2002, Katie Price managed to find another boyfriend in male model Matt. The then 24-year-old star met 18-year-old tanning salon assistant Matt at a car show where she was modelling. During their short romance, the couple holidayed together in Ayia Napa and did a joint interview for a glossy magazine. At the time, Katie described him as 'my rock' as she came to terms with Harvey's health problems and was treated for Leiomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer on her finger. He now lives a peaceful life in the countryside Matt and his wife are still mixing in celebrity circles as he is close with former Corrie star Ryan Thomas having shared snaps from his 40th birthday last June But the couple split after just two months together after a big argument, with friends of Matt claiming at the time he struggled to deal with the media attention. Soon after Katie began to date Peter Andre - with the pair marrying in 2005. Katie was in a relationship when she met Peter. She was dating Scott Sullivan when she went on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2004. It was during that show that she and Peter Andre fell in love and eventually married. Matt then went on to date Katie's then rival Jodie. The pair ended up marrying on reality TV show Totally Jodie Marsh: Who'll Take Jodie Marsh Up The Aisle? in 2007. They wed in the Sugar Hut nightclub in Brentwood, Essex - which appears on show The Only Way Is Essex - but split three months later. The breakdown of their relationship the following year led Matt to say that she only liked him because of his 2002 fling with Katie. 'I think the fact that I'd been out with [Katie] must have done it for Jodie,' he said at the time. 'She's obsessed with her.' He added of the split: 'I want all my clothes that I left there. I don't know what she's doing with them, whether she's sniffing them or whatever.' After splitting from Jodie, Matt started going out with the stunning Rhian Sugden. They dated for around a year before splitting. Glamour model and former Page Three girl Rhian was then thrust further into the spotlight for a texting affair she had with TV personality Vernon Kay in 2010 while he was married to Tess Daly. Back in 2020 Matt opened up about why losing his hair made him think he'd also lose his modelling career. He spent years successfully being the face of leading brands including Land Rover, Gigs Eyewear and wine firm Laithwaites. But he was left worrying about his hair loss so opted to have a hair transplant. He told The Manchester Evening News at the time: 'Losing my hair had been knocking my confidence for a few years and it was really affecting my day-to-day life. 'I felt so much pressure to look good and keep the modelling jobs coming in to pay my bills and keep a roof over my family's head. 'Social media can be a big problem too, with such an expectation of perfection. We live in such an image-obsessed world.'
Scotsman
28-05-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
Scotland is below the UK average in lifesaving stem cell donor registrations
New data released by blood cancer charity DKMS reveals that just 2.1% of 16-65's in Scotland are registered as potential stem cell donors with DKMS – below the UK average of 2.4%. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... As the UK marks World Blood Cancer Day on 28 May, DKMS is calling on people across Scotland to take action, and help to give people with blood cancer a second chance at life by joining the stem cell donor register. Every 14 minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with blood cancer. For many patients, a stem cell transplant from a matching donor is their best or only chance of survival – but only a very small proportion of the UK population are currently registered as potential donors. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad DKMS spokesperson Deborah Hyde says, 'When a patient needs a stem cell transplant, only one in three will find a donor in their immediate family. This means that two thirds of patients will need to find a stranger who is a compatible stem cell match, and who can offer them a second chance at life. Joining the register means that you could offer that lifeline for someone in their time of greatest need. Most people will never be called to donate, but if you are, you have the potential to save someone's life'. Rachael is also a qualified nurse One such patient is Rachael Nixon, a 39 year old nurse and single mum from Fife, Scotland. Last year, she began to experience loss of appetite, vomiting, weight loss, extreme fatigue, and dizziness. She initially put it down to juggling life as a new mum, but after visiting her doctor, she was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer known as myelofibrosis. Rachael is a mum to a one year old named Daisy, and she says, "My greatest fear when I was first diagnosed was that I wouldn't be around to raise my daughter. It kept me awake at night, she's so young, if I died, would she even remember me?'. Unfortunately, no one in Rachael's family was a match, and so a global search began to find a stranger who could give her another chance at life. People across the UK who heard her story began signing up to the stem cell donor register through DKMS. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Rachael says, 'Since being diagnosed I've been so overwhelmed with the amount of people whose first response is, 'Can I be tested for you?', which is just the kindest gesture. I feel so thankful that I have so many people out there who want to do what they can to help save my life.' Rachael Nixon - who is having her stem cell transplant on World Blood Cancer Day - with daughter Daisy Then, earlier this year, Rachael received lifechanging news. Not one, but two people had been identified as her stem cell donor match. These complete strangers, both based in America, have said that they would be happy to donate their cells. Now, in an extraordinary turn of events, Rachael has been scheduled for her potentially life-saving transplant on World Blood Cancer Day itself – 28 May. Rachael continues, 'It took a few days for the news to sink in, but when I found out I had a match – in fact two matches – it felt like a miracle. Because those people joined the register, I'm getting another chance at a life with my daughter, and on World Blood Cancer Day! I would encourage everyone to join the register, it's so easy, but for people like me, it can change everything'. Rachael is marking World Blood Cancer Day with DKMS by encouraging everyone aged 17–55 and in good general health to order a free swab kit via their website ( complete a simple cheek swab, and return it to be added to the register. Things you didn't know about blood cancer: Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Blood cancers are the third most common cause of cancer death in the UK. Every year, nearly 13,000 people die from blood cancer in the UK. At any one time there are around 2,000 people in the UK in need of a stem cell transplant. Of those registered, only 16 % are from UK minority ethnic backgrounds. This makes it more difficult for patients from these backgrounds to find a match. Signing up to the stem cell donor register is a quick and easy process involving some painless mouth swabs: if you are aged 17-55 and in general good health, you're eligible to join the register with DKMS. If you are then matched with someone needing a transplant, in nine out of ten cases donating is a simple, outpatient process similar to donating blood platelets.
Scotsman
28-05-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
Scotland below the UK average in lifesaving stem cell donor registrations
New data released by blood cancer charity DKMS reveals that just 2.1% of 16-65's in Scotland are registered as potential stem cell donors with DKMS – below the UK average of 2.4%. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... As the UK marks World Blood Cancer Day on 28 May, DKMS is calling on people across Scotland to take action, and help to give people with blood cancer a second chance at life by joining the stem cell donor register. Every 14 minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with blood cancer. For many patients, a stem cell transplant from a matching donor is their best or only chance of survival – but only a very small proportion of the UK population are currently registered as potential donors. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad DKMS spokesperson Deborah Hyde says, 'When a patient needs a stem cell transplant, only one in three will find a donor in their immediate family. This means that two thirds of patients will need to find a stranger who is a compatible stem cell match, and who can offer them a second chance at life. Joining the register means that you could offer that lifeline for someone in their time of greatest need. Most people will never be called to donate, but if you are, you have the potential to save someone's life'. Rachael is also a qualified nurse One such patient is Rachael Nixon, a 39 year old nurse and single mum from Fife, Scotland. Last year, she began to experience loss of appetite, vomiting, weight loss, extreme fatigue, and dizziness. She initially put it down to juggling life as a new mum, but after visiting her doctor, she was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer known as myelofibrosis. Rachael is a mum to a one year old named Daisy, and she says, "My greatest fear when I was first diagnosed was that I wouldn't be around to raise my daughter. It kept me awake at night, she's so young, if I died, would she even remember me?'. Unfortunately, no one in Rachael's family was a match, and so a global search began to find a stranger who could give her another chance at life. People across the UK who heard her story began signing up to the stem cell donor register through DKMS. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Rachael says, 'Since being diagnosed I've been so overwhelmed with the amount of people whose first response is, 'Can I be tested for you?', which is just the kindest gesture. I feel so thankful that I have so many people out there who want to do what they can to help save my life.' Rachael Nixon - who is having her stem cell transplant on World Blood Cancer Day - and daughter Daisy Then, earlier this year, Rachael received lifechanging news. Not one, but two people had been identified as her stem cell donor match. These complete strangers, both based in America, have said that they would be happy to donate their cells. Now, in an extraordinary turn of events, Rachael has been scheduled for her potentially life-saving transplant on World Blood Cancer Day itself – 28 May. Rachael continues, 'It took a few days for the news to sink in, but when I found out I had a match – in fact two matches – it felt like a miracle. Because those people joined the register, I'm getting another chance at a life with my daughter, and on World Blood Cancer Day! I would encourage everyone to join the register, it's so easy, but for people like me, it can change everything'. Rachael is marking World Blood Cancer Day with DKMS by encouraging everyone aged 17–55 and in good general health to order a free swab kit via their website ( complete a simple cheek swab, and return it to be added to the register. Things you didn't know about blood cancer: Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Blood cancers are the third most common cause of cancer death in the UK. Every year, nearly 13,000 people die from blood cancer in the UK. At any one time there are around 2,000 people in the UK in need of a stem cell transplant. Of those registered, only 16 % are from UK minority ethnic backgrounds. This makes it more difficult for patients from these backgrounds to find a match. Signing up to the stem cell donor register is a quick and easy process involving some painless mouth swabs: if you are aged 17-55 and in general good health, you're eligible to join the register with DKMS. If you are then matched with someone needing a transplant, in nine out of ten cases donating is a simple, outpatient process similar to donating blood platelets.
Daily Mirror
24-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
I jailed Babes in the Wood child murderer after an incredible event
As a victim of 'Babes in the Wood' killer Russell Bishop describes how the monster has cast a dark shadow over her life, we speak to the Detective Inspector responsible for putting him behind bars Malcolm Bacon's first major inquiry as a Detective Inspector was more than 30 years ago but he can remember the details as if it were yesterday. Rachael Watts was just seven years old when she was kidnapped in broad daylight before being sexually assaulted and strangled. The schoolgirl survived against the odds and helped to convict evil Russell Bishop, who had been wrongfully acquitted of murdering Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway a few years before in the infamous ' Babes in the Wood ' case. Now 42, Rachael is the subject of a new Sky documentary about the impact of the monster's attack on her life. Retired police officer Malcolm appears in the two-part programme and is convinced Bishop would have struck again if he hadn't been caught. "He was a psychopath, a really dangerous person who would absolutely have killed again," he told The Mirror. "I'm fully convinced he thought he had killed Rachael. He thought he could get away with it but she turned into an incredible witness." Rachael became a victim of predator Bishop in 1990, soon after moving to the Brighton area of East Sussex with her family. She had planned to roller skate to a friend's house but bumped her head, returned home and was given a pound by her father to buy sweets from the local shop. The schoolgirl took a wrong turn on her way home and asked a man for directions. It was Bishop, who was tinkering with his red Ford Cortina. Without saying a word in reply to her, he threw her in the boot of his car and drove his victim to a well-known beauty spot in the South Downs. "When the information came in that a girl had been discovered at Devil's Dyke, the main thing was to preserve the scenes," said Malcolm. "The first 'scene' was Rachael herself and the second was the Dyke, which was a huge area. There were only a few roads in and out, so once we sealed them off, we were fairly happy we had a sterile area." When the predator reached Devil's Dyke, he put Rachael on the back seat of his car and removed her clothing before sexually assaulting and strangling her. He then discarded her underneath some gorse bushes. "He disposed of me like he was flytipping," said the survivor, fighting back tears in the documentary. "Just like I was an old mattress or something, just thrown into a bush somewhere. He left me thinking I was dead." The terrified schoolgirl came around in the dark, and as she stumbled out of the bushes, a nearby couple who had been enjoying the sunset wrapped her in a blanket and sought help. Heartbreakingly, she asked them: "You two aren't kidnappers, are you?". The former DI is convinced Bishop thought he had killed his victim, saying: "She was strangled and suffocated to the point what's known as petechial haemorrhages took place (tiny pinpoint spots of bleeding under the skin caused by straining for a long time) which are quite indicative of a strangle injury. Usually, they only come out at the point of death, really. That's how close to death she was." The young girl's memory of her ordeal until she was strangled unconscious would prove vital. "Rachael was a fabulous witness," said the retired cop. "She was able to explain everything she saw, the man in the red car with a moustache. In the boot of the car, she saw a can of WD40, the same that her dad used. She found a hammer too and started banging on the boot lid." Incredibly, Rachael had the presence of mind to take off her roller skates in the boot of the car, to aid any chance of escape once the boot was opened. "She formulated an escape plan," said Malcolm. "She offered Bishop the pound she had been given if he would let her go." Four years earlier, a double child murder had taken place in Brighton's Wild Park, which became known as the 'Babes in the Wood' murders in the press after the children's tale of the same name. Nicola and Karen were nine-year-old schoolgirls when they went out to play and never came home. Their bodies were found in the park close to their homes the next day. They had known Rachael's future attacker, Bishop, then 20 and a local labourer and petty criminal, and he was charged with killing them. But the monster's then-girlfriend, Jennifer Johnston, changed her story in the witness box after previously saying a blue sweatshirt found close to the scene had been his. And to the horror of police and psychologists involved in the case, Bishop was found not guilty by a jury at Lewes Crown Court in December 1987. With the predator free to roam the streets once more, the experts' worst fears came true. Rachael was his next victim, with retired DI Malcolm describing her as an "articulate, intelligent seven-year-old girl who met a monster". This time, Bishop wouldn't be able to evade justice thanks in large part to the bravery of his victim, who picked him out of an identity parade and testified against him in court. "Her first account got us all going," said Malcolm. "The red car was mentioned in a first briefing, and an intelligence report had come through days before saying Bishop had been seen in a red car. "He went on to admit to driving it and put himself at the point of the abduction at the relevant time. I arrested him on suspicion of kidnapping and indecent assault, and we got his car, opened up the boot and in there was WD40 and a hammer with chip marks on the boot, corresponding to what Rachael had said." "He tried to become chatty with us," added the former police officer. "'What's going on? You trying to fit me up? Of course, it's not me. He was a psychopath; his whole entity was to look after himself. He would try and manipulate things, but he wasn't very bright." Bishop was later jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 14 years for attempted murder, kidnapping and indecent assault. "He was prowling, we suspect he had been following other little girls around," said Malcolm. "We did get another report from another girl who was followed by a man in a red car. If the circumstances were correct, she might have been another victim." Dubbed 'Britain's bravest girl' for stopping a paedophile killer from striking again, Rachael's life was irreparably blighted by Bishop, suffering from crippling depression, agoraphobia and complex post-traumatic stress along the way. As a teenager, she had frequent nightmares where the predator would climb through her window and kill her. The survivor had four children and, in the course of her adult life, moved around a lot and changed her name a couple of times in a bid to remain anonymous. But in 2022, Rachael told her children the secret she was "going to take to my grave" after Bishop died from brain cancer. Today, she's speaking out in public to rid herself of the "boulder" of a secret that has cast a dark shadow over her life. As for the families of the 'Babes in the Wood', they finally achieved some form of justice in 2018, after the 2005 scrapping of the 'double jeopardy' rule combined with advances in forensic technology meant evil Bishop was able to be tried for a second time. This time, he was rightfully convicted for his abhorrent crimes, receiving two life sentences and ordered to serve a minimum of 36 years behind bars. In April last year, Nicola and Karen's families received apologies from Sussex Police for failures in the original investigation into their murders. And in 2022, Bishop's ex-girlfriend, Johnson, who had changed her evidence at his original trial to devastating effect, was jailed for six years for perjury and perverting the course of justice. Watch The Girl Who Caught a Killer on Sky and streaming service NOW
