‘LIFE is short and the world is wide,’ was Kyoko Beaumont’s mantra when she gave up a career as a weather girl and TV presenter in Japan in search of a new challenge.

She arrived in the UK at the start of the new Millennium and enjoyed the anonymity of not being recognised in the street.

“I was a minor celebrity back home because people would see me on breakfast TV, but I really enjoyed the fact that no-one knew me here,” says the lung cancer clinical support worker for Macmillan Cancer at Northwick Park Hospital.

Kyoko, who lives in Ruislip, joined the organisation in tribute to her parents, who died from cancer and fund-raises for the organisation in her spare time as a runner.

Her other interests including baking, photography and a social media presence that would put most youngsters to shame.

Kyoko even found herself back on the box when she was announced star baker in the Great British Bake Off: Extra Slice on TV.

She has run a virtual marathon and, to date, as run three charity races.

“I never thought of myself as a runner but really caught the bug and now run three or four times a week,” she said.

"I’ve even made a running shoe-shaped cake.”