A SOAP lover who is fighting a chronic lung condition saw her dream come true when her crocheted blanket appeared on legendary TV show Emmerdale.

Julie Cass, from Earls Colne, was thrilled when she saw her homemade 'bucket list' blanket appear on the show this week.

The 64-year-old regularly crochets blankets for a cat sanctuary and dementia patients, and decided to make her own after being diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Gazette: Grateful - Julie said it was a dream come true to see her blanket appear on one of her favourite showsGrateful - Julie said it was a dream come true to see her blanket appear on one of her favourite shows (Image: N/A)

She said: “I got the diagnosis two years ago, then it started to get worse. I also have heart disease too.

“The doctors gave me a new diagnosis about five or six weeks ago, saying they couldn’t do any more for me.

“I just thought I’d try to make a patchwork blanket and when I started it Emmerdale was on, so I thought I’d make an Emmerdale-style blanket.”

Gazette: Classic - Julie's Emmerdale-style crocheted blanket which appeared on the showClassic - Julie's Emmerdale-style crocheted blanket which appeared on the show (Image: N/A)

After finishing the blanket, Julie made it known that it was now on her bucket list to see her handy work appear on her beloved show.

Pal Alison Davey secretly whisked the blanket away after its completion, before surprising her about its whereabouts during a live radio interview.

“The next thing they told me it was already up at Emmerdale”, said Julie.

“It was just pure shock - I couldn’t believe it. I waited and waited for it to appear on the show and couldn’t see it for a while.

“I was sitting there regularly with my phone ready to take a picture, but it didn’t show up and I lost a bit of hope.

“I thought I would try again the following week and there it was.

"It was just surreal - a dream come true.

Gazette: On TV - the blanket on Emmerdale behind Eden Taylor-Draper who plays Belle DingleOn TV - the blanket on Emmerdale behind Eden Taylor-Draper who plays Belle Dingle (Image: N/A)

“I am a massive soap fan, I watch them all and don’t think I have ever missed an episode of Emmerdale - I have been watching it since it first aired really.

“Seeing it on there was really magical and I couldn’t be more grateful.

“I would love to go and visit the Emmerdale set in person one day and see it in person.”