'Cancer warrior' shocked at Pride of Britain award

Victoria Skinner said she went "all out" in her outfit choice for the event that was "a day I will never forget"

A woman who describes herself as a "cancer warrior" said she was surprised and grateful to win a Pride of Britain award.

Victoria Skinner, 39, from Northampton took home the Fundraiser of the Year prize for generating more than £36,000 to set up her charity The Tor-Rox Foundation, which helps those with cancer to access specialist physical facilities.

Known as Tor, she was diagnosed with stage-three breast cancer in 2015 and was later declared cancer-free before being told in 2021 she had incurable secondary cancer and had three years to live.

After attending Monday's ceremony, broadcast on ITV on Thursday, she said: "It still doesn't seem real, I'm honestly so grateful to be recognised."

Tor was allowed to take one guest to the awards with her, so chose her "supportive and wonderful" husband Joe

The charity was officially created in March and offers financial grants to people with cancer to gain access to personalised exercise programmes and training.

Speaking to Annabel Amos on BBC Radio Northampton, she explained: "What we wanted to do was give strength and hope to those going through diagnosis and treatment, because I have experienced this first hand as I have found exercise helped me and that's what I wanted to give back."

Tor has competed in a total of four Hyrox fitness competitions

Ms Skinner, who likes to be known as a "cancer warrior", turned to exercise in 2022 to help cope with her own terminal cancer diagnosis, as she said she did not want to be defined by the illness.

In November 2023, the mother to six-year-old Isla Rose, completed her first Hyrox fitness event and has gone on to complete three more.

"I was the first person to complete it with a terminal illness.

"I'm doing OK, I'm touching every bit of wood in sight, I'm on a lot of treatment and it will be forever.

"The treatment is a lot but it's keeping me here and the cancer is stable."

She said there were so many highlights to the awards night, but meeting Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden was amazing as "she also went through breast cancer".

"It was just a great evening, really amazing.

"You can really feel the heart of Britain in that room, it's incredible."

Tor said her husband got her into exercise several years ago and since then has not stopped