WHEN Maria Watts lost her breast because of cancer, she thought that she would never feel like a woman again.

But six years later, the mother of two has learnt to love the skin she’s in – thanks to pole-dancing.

Maria, 35, of Rushdean Road, strood, said: “I’ve never felt more sexy or alive. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2000, I was devastated.

“Within a year, I had lost my long, blonde curly hair because of the chemotherapy, had put on more than two stone in weight and had lost my left breast.

“The surgeons made another one for me from skin and tissue taken from my stomach but it was nippleless, scarred and wonky. I felt hideous.”

Maria’s marriage broke down in 2004 and, although she viewed this as a new beginning, she was left feeling lonely and unattractive.

But things began to change when she met her new love, Peter Bradley, 37, while playing online poker.

She said: “I was given the all-clear from cancer but I was left feeling bored, lonely and fat, so I knew that something had to change.

“My friends said that I should go out on dates but I was so worried because of my scars, I didn’t know who would want me.

“But after four months of talking on-line to Peter, who works as a lorry driver, we met up in a cafe in Chatham and we just hit it off.

“He helped me begin to feel attractive again, but it was pole-dancing that helped me learn to love my scarred body.”

Maria, who has sons, Darren, six and Richelle, two, and also fosters others, saw an advert for pole-dancing lessons in Rochester’s Club S.

She said: “The old me would never have gone along and I was quite worried.

“I thought that pole-dancing was something for sexy young women with perfect bodies, but I went along with my friend and have never looked back.

“You just feel so sexy and alive when your dancing and I learnt to be proud of my body. I even have a pole in my house that I practise on.

“I still have lessons every week and even though cancer left me scarred, thanks to pole-dancing, I’ve never felt more womanly.”

For more details about pole-dancing lessons, you can call Polesecrets on 07886 081091.