Paula Gardner, 42, from Norwich faced her fears in a white-collar boxing match, raising more than £400 for charity in the process.

Having battled with low confidence and mental health challenges in recent years, she credited the experience with helping her rebuild self-belief.

Ms Gardner said: “It almost seems laughable now, to look back and think that I had been suffering such debilitating low confidence and poor mental health – but then I would say yes to the huge challenge of a white-collar match.”

A team leader at Ormiston Families based at the HMP Wayland Visitor Centre, she said the focus and accountability of training gave her a renewed sense of purpose and self-worth.

She said: “I knew I needed something to focus on, to give me a goal and to encourage me to keep showing up at the gym, getting stronger and ignoring all my demons about self-doubt and not being good enough.”