WATCH: Brave and optimistic Leah Bracknell on her terminal cancer

Former Emmerdale star Leah Bracknell has opened up about the day she was told she is dying from lung cancer.

Leah – who played Zoe Tate on the soap for 16 years – admitted she felt “angry” at first but “went for a very slow walk” and had a peaceful and nice day with her partner in a nature reserve.

Speaking on This Morning earlier today said: “I went out for lunch. I went for a very slow walk. I’m not going to lie, I had to sit down a lot.

“But when I was at the hospital with my partner, I just thought, ‘We could sit here crying, worrying’ but I said, “Let’s just go out, it’s a really nice day. Let’s go for a walk.” We went out for a walk, we went to a bird sanctuary and was just around nature. It was a really nice time.”

The 52-year-old actress-turned-yoga teacher revealed smoked occassionally and followed a vegetarian diet, and says she refuses to die from cancer.

She’s on a mission to raise cash for emergency treatment in Germany and admits she needs to “crack on” with the process.

She explained: “One doesn’t ask, ‘How long do you think I’ve got?’ because you don’t want to be boxed in to someone else’s perspective. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. But I do need to crack on. I don’t think I can afford to sit around. We’re in the process.

Leah added: “I’m terribly optimistic. Of course I have moments when the reality hits. I think it’s more about what you’re leaving behind that I find difficult. We’re all going to go somewhere glorious after, we hope.”