I know what it's like to be cold and poor, says Corrie's Marsh

Coronation Street star Kym Marsh today recalled living without heat or light because of her struggles with poverty before her success.

The mother of two told how she often could not afford to top up her energy meters and found herself in a cold, dark house.

She was speaking at the launch of the Home Heat Helpline’s winter campaign, which aims to help low-income households save money on energy bills.

Marsh said: “I was a single mum on benefits. You don’t get an awful lot and I was on a very tight budget.

“Having two small children is always very expensive. I ended up having a card meter fitted in my house for electric and gas so I could keep on top of what I was spending and wasn’t running up massive bills I couldn’t afford to pay.

“Very often there were times where my heating went and I was sitting with coat on in my living room and I’d end up taking kids to my mum’s because we were sitting in the dark.”

Marsh, who found success in the reality show band Hear’Say and went on to play Michelle Connor in Coronation Street, is mother to David, 14, and Emily, 11.

She said: “I am very appreciative of what I’ve got. And so are my children, particularly my son. He really does remember what it was like when we lived there. He always says to me ’remember that house with the flying ants’.”

The 33-year-old said a freephone helpline would have come in handy in her former life.

“I wish there had been something like this when I was struggling. I know what it’s like to be on that side of the fence. It’s very difficult, especially at this time of year and in the current climate.”

The Home Heat Helpline said families could slash more than £250 (€277) from their energy bills by taking advantage of free insulation.

According to research, 3.6 million households across the UK are missing out on energy assistance.