AMONG contestants announced for the new series of Strictly Come Dancing is the inspirational Katie Piper.

She, you might remember, is the remarkable young woman - a former beauty queen and aspiring model - who survived a terrible acid attack in 2008. This left her blind in one eye, with chronic scarring including on her face and enduring years of surgery.

Stefan Sylvestre, on the orders of obsessed fan Daniel Lynch, carried it out and was jailed indefinitely but could actually be free next month on parole. Katie, however, is plainly made of amazing stuff. She has become a TV presenter and author as well as the mother of two children.

She created her own foundation to raise awareness of burns and other scarring victims but it’s her story that inspires people. She is not only impressive with the way she has coped with the hand that life dealt her but offers a message of hope to everyone.

She will be a determined and fascinating contestant to follow in Strictly.