A YOGA teacher is following her dream -- by spreading the word throughout the world.

Alwynne Cartmell, from Halliwell Road, has set up Yogaworks -- offering yoga training for medical and sport professionals.

And from Cardiff to Canada, they are taking up her two-day foundation classes.

"This has been my dream all my life," she said.

Alwynne spent most of her life trying to get away from Bolton -- escaping to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, India, Portugal and Nice to teach yoga, relaxation and stress management.

In the past, she also tried to lose her Bolton twang with elocution lessons.

Soothing

But three years ago, she started teaching yoga in Bolton and now people often comment on her nice accent and soothing voice -- great for relaxation exercises.

As the interest in yoga is still booming, she was persuaded to also teach the ancient lifestyle to workers -- not just in Bolton, but also abroad.

Bolton fitness expert Simone Staniforth -- who recently emigrated to Canada -- has joined forces with Alwynne.

Qualified medical and fitness professionals are now signing up for their Yogaworks sessions. Students incorporate yoga into their work and, sometimes, lives.

They probably find that Alwynne is a "disciplined" yoga teacher, which she explains could stem from being a former nursery teacher.

And every day, she also practised yoga herself. She knows better than most how it can change lives.

"People I train with say you have to do twice as much yoga as you teach because you put so much into your classes.

"If you want to, it can change your life.

"I've done yoga on and off since 1969 and seriously since 1980."

The enterprising instructor's path to her current tea-total, no-smoking lifestyle started with her and her family becoming vegetarian, at a time when this was unusual -- "It would have been easier to tell people I was gay".

Yoga then changed her as a person and her vices simply fell by the wayside.

Now, she exudes calm, looks fantastic at 53, and her only vice is trawling charity shops.

She gets up at 5am and does not go to bed until midnight, yet she is "never tired".

"People used to invite me to parties, because they said I was the life and soul.

"What they really meant was, I never shut up."

She believes the popularity of yoga is due to the speed of life people have to contend with these days.

"Years ago, I used to see people in their fifties and sixties.

"Now I get 20 to 30 year olds with break-downs -- they've been hospitalised and completely shut down."

Break-down

Among this group is Sally (not her real name), who found Alwynne's yoga classes a great help after a nervous break-down.

"I work full-time and teach one keep-fit class a week -- that was my escape.

"Everything came to a head and my body switched down completely.

"Now they have five people doing my job and they can't believe how sorry they are.

"I'm going back to work but I'm going to cut my hours down.

"While I've been getting better, I've been going to yoga two or three times a week.

"I feel a hundred times better and I can't believe the difference it has made.

"I'm not even taking any medication, just St John's Wort.

"Yoga makes you so relaxed -- I'm just chilled.

"I'm going to change from aerobics to yoga."

Design and marketing director Kay Rowlands, aged 50, from Harwood also finds yoga brings some much-needed tranquility and relaxation into her hectic life.

"I did yoga 20 years ago and had an appalling teacher -- then I met Alwynne and I wished I had met her 20 years ago."

Alwynne can be contacted on 07050 256916 LOTUS LIFESTYLE: Yoga teacher Alwynne Cartmell Ref: J2849/18 PLOUGHING ON: Alwynne demonstrates the plough posture Ref: J2849/37 )

PIC 3 DREAM COME TRUE: Halliwell yogi takes yoga all over the world (j2840-24)