When she discovered she was predisposed to cancer, radio presenter Julia Booth took the radical step of having both her breasts removed.

She talks to Women's Editor Christen Pears in the first of a three part series on breast cancer.

'I'M totally immodest about my boobs. I'll flash them at anyone who wants a look," says Radio York presenter Julia Booth. I don't like to ask for a peek but she assures me they're very realistic.

Julia didn't have breast cancer but, in 1997, she opted for a double mastectomy. It was a drastic step but it gave her the peace of mind she had been craving since her mother died of the disease in the 1970s.

Today, she looks the picture of health. She's confident and full of fun, and that comes across clearly in the daily radio show she presents with husband Jules Bellerby, which has earned the couple the nickname the Richard and Judy of the North. In fact, she barely thinks about the operation, but without it, she may not have survived more than a few years.

The 45-year-old was among the first people in Britain to be genetically tested for breast cancer, and it was discovered she had the potentially deadly BRCA1 gene - the same one that caused her mother's fatal cancer.

She says: "I knew there was a possibly genetic factor because my mother and her sister developed breast cancer in their thirties. My aunt also had ovarian cancer, which is genetically linked, so it was both a huge blow and a relief at the same time when I got the results."

The BRCA1 gene meant Julia was predisposed to breast cancer, and she was told she had a 90 per cent chance of developing the disease.

"The way I looked at it, there was almost no chance I wouldn't get it and that influenced my decision to have a mastectomy. It seems a bit surprising because it is such a drastic thing but I knew I had to do it.

"I think another factor was my mother. She became ill when I was in my teens and died when I was 19 so I had seen how vile breast cancer can be and what devastating effects it can have."

Julia had three young daughters and wanted to make sure she was there to see them grow up. She didn't want them to go through the same pain she had experienced.

Although Julia had no doubts about the operation, her husband had fears about the impact it would have on their relationship. Like a lot of men, he worried about the effect it would have on his wife physically.

"Jules knew about my family history but he thought it was something we shouldn't worry about until it happened. I think basically, he wanted to ignore it because of how I might look after the surgery, especially as I considered not having any reconstruction because I had received so much conflicting advice.

"He was worried about how it would affect our relationship - whether he would still fancy me. Of course it's not just my breasts he's in love with but if I had looked awful after the operation, that could have changed the way he felt."

Julia was determined to go ahead and she had the operation in 1997, just before her 40th birthday. "It was quite important that I did have it then because it was such a landmark birthday. It marked a new start for me."

But that wasn't the end. The BRCA1 gene also predisposes the carrier to ovarian cancer. At 60 per cent, the risk is lower than that of contracting breast cancer but it wasn't one that Julia was prepared to take, and she had her ovaries removed in a later operation.

There was then reconstruction to consider. Julia wasn't sure she wanted to go ahead at first because of the huge range of options available. Some women have muscles from their back or stomach moved to their breast, others are able to have silicone implants.

During the mastectomy, surgeons removed all of her breast tissue but left the nipples. This meant they were able to insert implants under the muscle to recreate her breasts. She says she's happy to go topless on the beach on holiday and has even modelled on stage at the Harrogate Lingerie and Swimwear Exhibition in aid of Cancer ResearchFollowing the operation, Julia began to train as a counsellor, drawing on her own experiences to help others with emotional difficulties, and as well as presenting the Jules and Julia show, she also hosts a problem line on Sunday nights.

She has absolutely no regrets about her decision but she is a positive, outgoing person. Other women may not be brave enough to take such a drastic step.

"I'll tell people how well it's worked for me but I would never tell anyone to go out and do it because it's such a personal decision and it isn't right for everyone. Some people may want to try other options like lots of screening, but that wasn't what I wanted.

"I feel pretty confident about the way everything has turned out. The latest research seems to show that the risk factor is reduced from 90 per cent to four per cent with this procedure, and that's given me a huge sense of relief. I genuinely didn't believe I was going to live beyond middle age but now that fear has been taken away and I can't put a price on that."

Next week: the man who's rebuilding his life after his wife died of breast cancer.