Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has opened up about the breast cancer surgery she had last week, as she began treatment following the diagnosis earlier this year.

The Welsh professional dancer found a lump in her right breast a day before going on a belated honeymoon to the Maldives with husband Ben in April.

The 32-year-old has now revealed she had a mastectomy, and two tumours, three cancer “specks” and lymph nodes were sent to be analysed.

She now awaits the results to see what the next step will be and whether she will need radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

Strictly’s Amy Dowden had two tumours removed in breast cancer surgery

As she spoke openly to The Mirror about her stage 3 diagnosis, she said: “The cancer is in the lab now, which is the most important thing.

“The hardest time was waiting for surgery, thinking ‘I have cancer inside me’.

“You’re thinking ‘It’s grade three, what if it’s spreading, what if it spreads tonight?’

“The feeling of it made me feel disgusted, disgusting. That’s the time I was randomly crying, emotional.

“But we drove away and I thought, ‘It’s gone’.

“I’m a doer, I feel we have done something.”

In the interview, Amy said that doctors were able to reconstruct her breast and insert a small implant as part of her three-hour surgery on Wednesday, June 7.

She added: “I haven’t looked, I’m waiting for the bruising and swelling to go down.

“I don’t need to look yet, I don’t want to shock or upset myself.”

She continued to say: “I wasn’t able to use my own tissue because they said there wasn’t enough. But they had been worried it might be too bruised and they would need to put an expander in.

“Normally you have breast tissue, fat and skin but they said I had no fat. They did say it was tougher than they expected, but they could put a little implant in.”

Strictly’s Amy Dowden shares emotional message after breast cancer surgery

Last week, Amy also posted a picture of herself on Instagram in a hospital bed, covered in a floral blanket as she gave a smile and thumbs up. She captioned the post: “Step one to beating cancer!

“Rrrrrrready for this fight and more determined than ever to get back on the dance floor #breastcanceryoung #checkyourchest #checkyourlemons #letsdothis #breastcancerawareness #cancer” along with a series of ‘strong’ emojis.

On her Instagram stories, Amy continued to say: "Surgery went well. Big thanks to my two surgeons and nurses who have been so utterly amazing looking after me.

"Very sore but focusing on the positives they said the surgery went well!! Thanks for all the support and messages."