One of the country's much-loved soap stars is using her love of fitness to raise money for charity following her move to Norfolk.

Former Coronation Street star Beverley Callard has been settling into rural life since moving to the county earlier this year.

Now the actress, who played Liz Macdonald in the soap for more than 30 years, has gone back to her fitness roots.

In the 1980s, Beverley had her own exercise slots on GMTV and she even released four fitness videos.

But after keyhole surgery on her hip back in 2020 the actress was left in excruciating pain and unable to exercise.

In an interview with OK Magazine, the 65-year-old said: “It was really hard to stop exercising while I was doing physio and recovering, because I’ve always taught fitness classes – even at the height of some of my biggest storylines in Coronation Street, I taught three classes a week."

Just six weeks after moving to Norfolk, the actress posted on her local Facebook book group asking for 25 "feisty" women to take part in fitness classes to help raise money for the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

She added: "It didn’t matter what age they were, what shape they were or their fitness level. I’m not into teaching a class full of stick insects. I just wanted real women."

And within two days, 700 people had submitted their interest.

Beverley has since been running classes, which cost £5, at Waveney House Hotel in Beccles.

The actress made her first television appearance in the Yorkshire Television soap Emmerdale Farm as Angie Richards in 1983.

Beverley's first role in Coronation Street was in 1984 as Gail and Brian Tilsley's friend June Dewhurst.

But her first appearance as the iconic Liz McDonald was not until 1989.

Beverley left the cobbled streets of Coronation Street back in 2020, after more than 30 years.

That same year she appeared in the 20th series of I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here which was hosted at Gwrych Castle in North Wales, due to Covid-19 restrictions at the time.

The Corrie legend became the third celebrity to be voted off alongside Victoria Derbyshire on November 30, 2020.

Ms Callard revealed that she had moved to Norfolk in an Instagram post in April this year.