Cheryl breaks social media silence for emotional Girls Aloud post on Instagram

Cheryl has broken her silence on social media to thanks fan for an 'amazing experience' on the Girls Aloud tour, as she's taken the chance to unwind at a countryside retreat after a hectic few months of shows.

After announcing The Show tour towards the end of last year, Geordie star Cheryl and bandmates Nadine Coyle, Kimberley Walsh and Nicola Roberts kicked off their long string of arena dates in Dublin in May, before entertaining audiences all over the UK, in cities like Manchester, Leeds, London and Newcastle, where Cheryl was given a rapturous reception on home turf as she reflected on leaving home' with a suitcase ands a dream' back in 2002, as she went to audition for Popstars: The Rivals, the show that would change her life as she won a place in Girls Aloud.

After wrapping up their reunion tour, all done in honour of late member Sarah Harding, in Liverpool, Girls Aloud were back on stage at the start of this month to headline Brighton Pride, where they were joined on stage by Olly Alexander. And now, after a manic schedule for much of the summer, the girls are enjoying some much deserved time off.

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And Cheryl has been relaxing at an exclusive retreat in Cumbria, from which she took to Instagram on Friday to make the first post from her own account in some time, having just shared ones from the Girls Aloud Insta during the tour. Addressing her millions of followers, Cheryl wrote: "I have had such a shift in gears for the past week .. sitting in the silence with only the occasional nature sounds I have been reflecting a lot on the past few months and I feel so grateful. I wanted to thank you again for the amazing experience we shared on this last tour and our subsequent pride show .. the memories will stay with me forever. It has been a true highlight in my life."

The Call My Name singer added: "To get to connect with you all again after so long , to be together and share the stage once more with the girls to celebrate Sarah was truly a blessing. I love you all. There is nothing quite like a GA crowd"