Television presenter Helen Rollason has told of her defiant battle to collect her MBE after being given days to live by cancer experts.

The 43-year-old BBC sports journalist received the honour from the Queen at Buckingham Palace last Wednesday in a wheelchair with a nurse at her side.

The Queen stepped down from her rostrum to approach the same level as the Grandstand and Six O'Clock News presenter, who was pushed by a Buckingham Palace footman dressed in white.

Helen, who currently lives in Shenfield, used to live in Rayleigh and worked as a PE teacher and presenter on Essex Radio before moving on to the BBC.

Eight days ago she was staring death in the face after a doctor told her he did not expect her to last until the weekend.

Speaking to a national newspaper she said: "I was told this was it, and had to face the fact that I wasn't coming back here. It's very frightening when someone says that to you. You just don't know what you're facing.

"But they managed to get the right balance of treatments, and here I am. I came out of hospital last Saturday and then spent all my time trying to build up my energies for the trip to the palace.

"It was thrilling - a hell of an experience. The Queen was very sympathetic and clearly understood how unwell I am. She was very kind, and took time to speak to me for a while.

"Being there meant so much to me. It's given me such a boost, it really was wonderful. I feel better now, though obviously I'm still very poorly.''

Rollason has been battling cancer in the public eye for the past two years.

Brave - Helen Rollason, pictured before her battle with cancer

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.