Penniless EastEnders star Cheryl Fergison broke down in tears in food bank after hitting rock bottom

EASTENDERS star Cheryl Fergison broke down in tears in a food bank after struggling to find money to eat.

The actress hit rock bottom in February this year when spiralling debts left her penniless.

Cheryl - who played Heather Trott in the BBC soap from 2007 to 2012 - turned to Citizens Advice for help.

The 60-year-old told the : “I sat there and cried and cried. It was shameful. How could I have been on EastEnders?

"How could I have been earning that much money and now I am here?

“It was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. I found it so difficult to be that vulnerable.

"But I didn’t have any money to do a weekly shop. I was trying to pay too many debts.

“Lots of people can relate to it. You’re trying to find a penny. You’re literally looking down your settee to see if you can find a quid.”

Cheryl recently revealed odd jobs she's doing to help bring in some cash.

Last week she started flogging tickets for the £15 Cheryl's Special a slap-up Chinese meal and performance at the restaurant.

Cheryl made her first appearance as Heather Trott in EastEnders in June 2007.

But the George Michael fanatic and Shirley's best friend was brutally murdered by Ben Mitchell in April 2012, leaving Cheryl devastated.

She's now charging fans of Minute Mart employee Heather £50 to own one of her scripts from the soap - as well as five quid for postage.

The former Celebrity Big Brother housemate is also offering signed pictures from her time in Walford at a cost of £5 plus postage fees.