A REAL Housewives of Cheshire regular is backing North West Cancer Research's skin cancer awareness campaign.

Reality TV star Katie Kate has battled skin cancer five times and is now showing her support for the #suncreamselfie initiative encouraging people to stay safe in the sun this summer.

It follows a new independent survey which revealed 70% of people living in the North West of England are unaware of the early warning signs of skin cancer, despite rising skin cancer rates.

Mum-of-two Katie, 43, said: “My business partner had recently had surgery for skin cancer and when I noticed the mark on my chest she advised me to get it checked out. When I was told it was skin cancer it was a massive shock, I was 32 and had two children at that point – I felt so stupid and selfish.

“I’d used sunbeds for several years in my teens and would sit in the sun for hours on end when I was on holiday trying to get a tan.

“Sharing my story on national TV was terrifying but the awareness it has helped raise has been worth it. The support from my friends, family, co-stars and fans of the show has been phenomenal.

“Hopefully my story will make more people aware. I am really happy to be involved with the #suncreamselfie campaign for North West Cancer Research. It’s a brilliant idea to remind people of the importance of protecting their skin this summer.

“My advice is that if you have an unusual mark that never heals then you should get it checked out, better to be safe than sorry.”

The survey results show that one third of those questioned revealed they have never checked their skin for signs of skin cancer, despite 82% admitting to having been sunburned.

It also revealed that one in five people in the region don't use sun cream when it's sunny in the UK, preferring to only use sun cream when abroad.

North West Cancer Research is now urging people all over the North West to get creative when applying sun cream, take a selfie and upload it to social media with the hashtag #suncreamselfie.

Alastair Richards, CEO of North West Cancer Research, said: "By raising awareness of skin cancer, its symptoms and the associated risk factors of over exposure to UV rays, we hope we can encourage people to stay safe in the sun and reduce the number of skin cancer cases across the North West."

The ABCDE method of checking is an easy rule to remember when checking your skin.

It stands for:

• Asymmetry: does the mole look uneven or misshapen

• Border: is the edge of the mole blurred?

• Colour: is it a mix of shades, has your mole darkened since the last time you checked?

• Diameter: is it bigger than 6mm?

• Elevation or enlargement: has it changed in shape or become raised above the skin's surface?

You should always also look out for itching, bleeding and crusting and contact your GP straight away if you spot these symptoms.