I want to say once and for all Lee did NOT attack me

LESLIE Ash has defied doctors with her amazing progress and determination to walk again - but it's not just her physical injuries which have caused her pain.

"I want to say once and for all that Lee did NOT attack me in any way," she says.

"We told the truth about what happened that morning but people don't want to believe it.

"As well as recovering from my injuries, I have had to deal with being called a liar, which is so hurtful.

"I have been portrayed as some long-suffering idiot and I am not. I am a strong woman and would not put up with that sort of thing. People can be so cruel."

Lee adds: "If we were lying do you think we would have told an embarrassing story about our sex life to cover things up? I think we would have been a lot cleverer than that. Of course Leslie and I have our rows. We are both strong characters and we both have fiery tempers. Neither of us likes to back down which means things are explosive sometimes, but I don't believe men should be violent towards women or women should be violent towards men.

"That morning we were having a great time after enjoying a fantastic night out."

During the candid interview, the couple strenuously denied that ex- footballer Lee had caused her injuries during a violent row.

Lee was quizzed by police following the incident at the couple's Chelsea Harbour home in West London, but no charges were brought.

This week he was also told that he will not face charges over allegations that he assaulted Leslie's sister, Debbie, in 2001.

Leslie, who has lost a stone during her ordeal and still walks unsteadily on crutches, added: "I hate people saying I broke a rib during 'rough sex'.

"That's not the case at all. It was very nice sex, thank you very much! I fell from the bed onto the dressing table and Lee fell on top of me. That's all." Revealing the sense of humour which has made her one of Britain's best-loved actresses, she added: "The incident has not put me off sex at all.

"Lee and I love each other. Let's just say that when I was in hospital there were times when we locked the door! He is my friend as well as my husband and I wouldn't have got through any of this without him."

Holding Lee's hand, the Merseybeat star demonstrated that she and Lee plan to stay together no matter what their critics might say.

Observing him today, it is hard to see how Lee could be described as a wife beater as he tends to his wife's every need.

Throughout our journey he strokes her hair, caresses her feet and lends a guiding hand whenever she needs to use the bathroom.

To get to their Spanish villa Leslie has to get down 10 steps. Lee is instantly at her side. He takes her crutches and then offers his arm to help her down the stairs. With each painful step Leslie grimaces but Lee patiently urges her on. "Nearly there," he coaches. Earlier, I watched as Leslie admitted she was tired. The colour drained from her face and again, Lee was instantly at her side, lowering her into the wheelchair that she hates. "Just have a rest," her urged her.

Whenever Leslie calls for him, Lee rushes to her side.

The couple are now considering taking action against the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, where they believe she picked up the bug.

She has undergone hours of intensive physiotherapy and has defied some doctors who feared she would never walk again.

"I have had some very tearful moments in the last few weeks," Leslie confesses. "I am usually very active, so not being able to move was just hideous.

"Lee has been my counsellor and I refused to let this thing beat me. I am absolutely determined to walk properly again and have already been offered some exciting new work in September.

"I work out for four hours every day and have physiotherapy, occupational therapy and hydrotherapy. I am very much an ordinary wife and mum, who likes to go to Sainsbury's, cook and clean the house. I want to get back to all that." While Leslie has been in hospital, Lee has been cooking, cleaning and looking after the their sons Joe, 15, and Max, 12 - who return every weekend from boarding school.

Leslie's illness has forced him to re-evaluate his priorities and realise quite how much she does to keep their lives ticking over.

Leslie says that during her long stay in hospital she found amazing strength from the nurses. Each day she faced hours of painful physiotherapy, but she says the cheery banter from the nurses gave her extraordinary strength. She watched a lot of TV too she tells me. And she can't resist a little jibe about how great it was to have the remote control all to herself.

On a more serious level, the couple say they no longer row as much as they used to and any arguments are over in a flash. Lee admits they both have fiery tempers, but has learned to control it while Leslie continues on the road to fitness.

They both agree that after all they have been through, arguments seem trivial. Hearing them talk of their roller-coaster three months I can tell they are both stunned and can't believe what they have been through. But both insist the future is bright.