A VICAR who battled breast cancer twice has told how she got through her lowest moments when she couldn't even get out of bed.

Rev Janet Bromley, rector of St James the Great Church in Dursley, said it was only with the support of friends, family, her faith and the community that she stayed positive during her treatments.

"There were days when I didn't get out of bed because I couldn't and times when I cried and times when I was angry," said Janet. "But I knew that there were lots of people here and people all over the world that were praying for me."

Janet was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1994, just four weeks after being ordained.

"The first time was a terrible shock," said Janet, who was 49 at the time and living in Bristol.

"At the time I was very angry at God because I felt that after all my hard work leading up to being ordained it was all being taken away from me.

"The second time round I didn't feel like that and my faith helped me through."

Janet, now 63 and a mother-of-two, recovered quickly from the first cancer, which was removed in one operation, but she was diagnosed again with a more serious form of breast cancer in September last year.

This time the cancer had spread into the lymph nodes and she underwent two operations, then chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

"The second time was harder, but I took one stage at a time, and said OK I can do this.

"When I was going through treatment the rectory was like a florist shop and when I went for a little walk people would come and ask how I was, which was great.

"My daughter came to every hospital visit with me and we laughed our way through it, that was our way of coping with it all."

She has now been given the all clear, but must live life knowing that the cancer could return.

Janet added: "You cannot spend your whole life thinking the cancer might come back, you have to keep thinking it won't come back until it does.

"Someone once asked me, do you ever ask 'Why me?' And I said 'Why not me?' Bad things happen to good people, there is nothing extraordinary about me.

"I would just urge people to make sure they get cancer diagnosed early, never be scared of going to see a doctor."

Janet, who originally studied hospitality and catering at university and taught at Bristol Technical College before being ordained, was treated at Frenchay Hospital and says she is so grateful to the teams that took care of her.

She added: "For those going through cancer all I would say is, it does end. When you are undergoing chemotherapy it seems a long way away but it will end.

"Remember people all over the world are suffering cancer and more people than you know are surviving it."