An award-winning fitness instructor from Blackburn has become the new face of Sport England's latest This Girl Can campaign.

Mum-of-two, Ruth Lynch, features in a 10-minute workout video for the campaign's Fit Got Real series, which is aiming to send an inspirational message to women who feel left behind by traditional exercise.

And in the newest video, Ms Lynch, who is the Head of Leisure and Fitness at Life Leisure UK, can be seen working out alongside Ella Palmer, who was featured hula hooping in the last campaign video which was released in October.

Ms Lynch said: "I do a lot of work with women to help them overcome some of the barriers of getting fit, such as having a family or a full time job, or not being able to afford to join a gym.

"So it was great to work with Sport England on this campaign and hopefully encourage more women to get moving."

The 40-year-old former St Mary's College student who won UK Active's Active Outstanding Individual of the year award in 2018, said the workout video can be done anywhere as it's easy to fit around a busy schedule and is suited for those of any age and ability of fitness.

She said: "Fit Got Real and the new video is about trying to get women moving by emphasising that they don't have to go to a gym or an exercise studio to get fit, they can do it from the comfort of their own homes.

"Ella, who is in the video with me, doesn't have a gym membership as she can't afford one, so she works out in her house. Not having a gym membership doesn't have to stop people from exercising."

Sport England launched This Girl Can in 2015, to encourage women to engage in physical activity regardless of shape, size, age or ability.

And since then, more than three million women have been inspired to become more active.

Ms Lynch added: "Studies show that more women than men are inactive, but if we can get women to take small steps in trying to get healthy then in time we'll see some great results."

Watch Ms Lynch's video here youtube.com/watch?v=XlJGdIHY6L8