AN ACTRESS from Bromsgrove who has appeared on hit TV shows as a nurse has taken up a new role in the Alexandra Hospital's Accident and Emergency department - having qualified as a nurse for real.

Vicky Hall, 42, has played a nurse in the likes of Line of Duty, Coronation Street and Doctors, as well as hospital-based TV series Casualty, Holby City and Bodies.

But she has now decided on a dramatic career change and trained to become a nurse off-screen.

Vicky - who is originally from Newcastle but now lives in Bromsgrove - began her acting career at the age of just 14, working a weekend job in a fish and chip shop to pay for acting lessons.

She eventually managed to get a part in CBBC series Byker Grove, alongside TV legends Ant and Dec.

After roles in theatre and occasional appearances as an extra, Vicky managed to get a lead role in Channel 4 comedy series Teachers, alongside James Corden and Andrew Lincoln (star of The Walking Dead). After Teachers had finished, Vicky played parts in Derek (with Ricky Gervais), The Bill and Shameless, as well as her aforementioned roles as a nurse in other shows.

“I frequently played nurses, perhaps the universe was trying to tell me something!” said Vicky.

The birth of her two children changed Vicky’s outlook on life, and she decided working all around the country for long periods of time wasn’t for her anymore.

“I thought about what I would do next and decided it had to have all the excitement of acting, the need to really use my brain, and that I would be in demand," explained Vicky.

“Emergency nursing just fit the bill. So I went back to school and did my GCSE science again, and when my children started school I started my degree.".

Having settled down in Bromsgrove, Vicky was keen to stay local after enjoying her training placements at the Alexandra Hospital and having positive personal memories of the care she had received there.

Vicky said: “The Alexandra is a really busy and interesting hospital, but small enough that you get to know people easily. I love our Emergency Department, I am challenged every day."

Vicky, who works part-time in A&E, hasn’t given up her acting work entirely and still does a lot of voiceover work and advertisements.

Recently she played her easiest role yet - as an A&E nurse! Vicky took the role in the latest Ken Loach film called ‘Sorry We Missed You’ which was recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

“It is my proudest role yet. I was also hired to design their A&E set and to dress all of the extras as A&E patients, giving them all a wound or a reason for their visit”, explained Vicky.