THE debut album by Britain’s original girl band has been re-released this Valentine's Day, almost 50 years after it first hit the shelves.

Something Here in My Heat by the Paper Dolls was originally released in 1968 and saw them achieve fame overnight.

Pre-dating the likes of Bananarama, Atomic Kitten and Spice Girls, members of the three-girl group each had their own stage name.

The lead singer, Susie ‘Tiger’ Mathis, 70, now lives in Rostherne and received a big shock when the news reached her about the album being re-released via Cherry Red Records.

Speaking about her time in the pop group, Susie said: “We were really big in those days and became celebrities overnight. I had been in showbiz since I was four years old and there I was dating Bee Gee Maurice Gibb.

“It became quite normal to mix with superstars like Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck, Cliff Richard, Tony Blackburn, Kid Jenson, the Searchers and all the rest of the gang, we were on Saturday night TV every week."

Susie went on to become the first female daytime presenter in independent radio on Radio Piccadilly in Manchester.

During her time there she managed to win two Sony Awards for Personality of the Year, while working with some of the most famous celebrities at that time.

Later in her career, Susie took on a big challenge to raise £5 million to help save The Francis House Children Hospital in Manchester.

She said: "I had to create a campaign with this little girl Kirsty Howard as its leading lady. Born with an extremely rare medical condition, Kirsty’s heart was actually back to front.”

Susie helped with the campaign and managed to gain the support of international celebrities such as David Beckham and Freddie Flintoff. Kirsty was even the matchday mascot for the England game against Greece back in 2001 at Old Trafford.

Thanks to the support of Susie Mathis and a number of celebrities the Kirsty Appeal raised more than £5 million at the time of Kirsty’s death in 2015.

It was nearing the end of the appeal that Susie discovered a lump in her breast, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Susie Mathis said: “It knocked the wind out of my sails. I was so focused on reaching that £5 million target, I didn’t stop to think.

"But do you know what? I recovered, I made it and I reached my challenge for Kirsty too.

"You get to 70 and you think that’s it. You go for lunch with your friends and walk the dog, then bang, you get a call and it changes your life. Again.

"We all face challenges, but life goes on and you never know what’s around the corner."

Something Here in My Heart by The Paperdolls has been re-released by Cherry Red Records and is available now at Amazon.