In Breast Cancer Awareness month, it seems very apt that the familiar face of Sally Taylor should make a welcome return to our screens.

Following a major operation for breast cancer, Sally returns on Tuesday to front the nightly news programme South Today.

Her story about her fight against the disease has also been made into a powerful documentary which will be screened later this week

"She will be back, without a doubt." Those were the words of TV presenter Andrew Harvey when he discovered his news colleague Sally Taylor had breast cancer.

He was right and this week sees the familiar, smiling face of Sally Taylor make a welcome return to South Today.

Sally who has been the anchorwoman of BBC South's nightly, regional news programme for 10 years left work in May to have a double mastectomy.

This kind of operation to have both breasts removed is one of only two to be carried out every year in Southampton. Doctors discovered pre-cancerous cells in Sally's right breast and the threat of them in her left.

A prophylatic mastectomy to her left breast was carried out as a precaution to prevent the cancer from developing further.

This second type of mastectomy is still quite rare and normally only requested by women who have a strong family history of cancer, as is the case with Sally, whose mother died from the disease more than 35 years ago.

Following a successful operation and a period of recuperation, she is delighted to be returning. Sally says: "I've made a remarkable recovery and I'm looking forward to getting back to work. During this difficult time, I've had tremendous support from viewers and colleagues and am now ready to sit in front of the cameras again."

Sally's co-presenter Andrew Harvey says: "I know viewers will join me in welcoming Sally back to the programme. I have had the opportunity to work with some excellent presenters including Heather McCarthy, Beverley Thompson and Pauline Brandt in the past few months, but it will be special to have Sally back in the team again."

During Sally's time away from South Today, she was still never far from the cameras. She allowed the BBC to follow her during the period leading up to and after her operation.

"It's actually been quite easy because TV is second nature to me," said Sally earlier this year during filming. "It's something very positive, something very honest. It certainly shows a very different side to me. It's warts and all.

"I have got upset by doing it, as anybody would I suppose, but it's been a good thing because it's made me talk about it and help me come to terms with it."

Sally's story: Facing Cancer can be seen in a TV documentary to be screened on BBC Two on Thursday 14 October at 7.30pm.

See Tuesday's Echo for a review of Sally's documentary.

TRACIE BEARDSLEY

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.