CAROLINE Aherne has backed a new campaign to raise awareness of a rare form of eye cancer she suffered as a child.

The Mrs Merton and Royle Family creator has provided the voiceover for the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CHECT) online video campaign aimed at highlighting key symptoms of retinoblastoma.

The campaign has been launched after the writer, actor and comedian revealed last week that she is recovering after being treated for lung cancer.

The 50-year-old has previously been treated for bladder cancer and retinoblastoma (Rb) which typically affects babies and young children.

The video tells the story of Rosie, a young girl who has Rb, and explains how to spot signs of the disease. These can include a squint, a change in the colour of one eye and an abnormal reflection of light in the pupils seen in low light or flash photography.