TV sports presenter fights cancer

Television sports presenter Helen Rollason is fighting stomach cancer, it was revealed yesterday. Ms Rollason, who was the first woman to present the BBC's flagship sports programme Grandstand, was diagnosed with the illness on Monday, a spokeswoman said.

The 41-year-old former PE teacher was Sports Presenter of the Year in 1996 and has anchored BBC2's Sport On Friday.

A colleague said: "She's very determined and in a very positive frame of mind to fight it. All of us here at the BBC are wishing her well and looking forward to seeing her back in due course." Ms Rollason, who has a teenage daughter, is due to have an operation within the next few days.

Last year, she led the BBC's coverage from the Paralympics in Atlanta, Georgia, and has received awards in the past for her work with disability sports dating back to 1990.