The dam is bursting due to the power of people's experiences

THE woman who has led the battle for greater end-of-life choice for 17 years says "the dam is bursting" as the British public overwhelmingly demand access to assisted dying.

- Hanna Geissler

Sarah Wootton has taken the campaign from the margins to the mainstream since becoming chief executive of Dignity in Dying in 2007.

And she told the Express that Dame Esther Rantzen's decision to speak out following her stage four lung cancer diagnosis had tipped the balance in the decades-long battle.

She added: "The dam is bursting because of the power of people's experiences. Those who want to keep a lid on this are not going to be successful because they're trying to hold back a tide that is going to win.

"It's very, very clear that people don't want to die badly. They want to be able to choose." Sarah reflected on the long path to reform as a Daily Express petition calling for a parliamentary debate and vote on assisted dying soared past 155,000 signatures.

She previously worked at the Family Planning Association and the Equal Opportunities Commission before turning to end-of-life issues.