WORKING alongside Tom Hardy and fighting in the ring where Muhammad Ali trained, it is all in a day's work for Tiger Rudge.

The former Grappenhall stunt artist has recently finished shooting Legend with The Dark Knight Rises star and filmmaker Brian Helgeland, who directed A Knight's Tale with Heath Ledger.

Tiger, who attended Bridgewater High School, was one of the stunt artists and also had a small acting role in the upcoming film about the infamous Kray twins.

She said: "It's based in a club in the era of big hair and plenty of smoke. I'm an abused girlfriend whose domestic is witnessed by Hardy and his gang in the club who take it upon themselves to remind the guy how to be a gentleman..."

Tiger may only be 5ft 1in tall but in real life she hardly needs protecting.

The black belt kickboxer recently fought and won in the ring at Gleasons, the mecca of boxing where Muhammad Ali trained in New York City.

Tiger, one of just 60 women in the world to be on the British Stunt Register, added: "They were doing a charity bout and they didn't have a light enough opponent for the one girl who was competing so I jumped in with three days' notice.

"I don't think I've ever been so nervous, the place was packed and it gave me a feeling I will never forget.

"But I had women's heavyweight boxer Sonya Lamonakis in my corner so I felt ready.

"We got the fight of the night and it was a real crowd pleaser with people coming up to me later to shake my hand. That was a much greater reward than the victory itself."

Tiger, who is working on her own film called Eyez of the Ocean, also did stunt work for Bastille Day, a film about an anti-terrorist mission in France starring Luther's Idris Elba.

The former Priestley College student said: "Bastille day was very intense and a great challenge as we had more than 500 extras to be mindful of.

"It was also my first opportunity working with some legendary stunt performers and coordinators that had been around for 20 years.

"Working side-by-side with those guys made that job one of my favourites. I just love hearing all their stories and advice."

But one of Tiger's most extreme stunts recently was when she was a stunt double for Karen David on the TV series Galavant.

She added: "The director wanted me to do a cartwheel into double back flip, which is fine, but the costume was a challenge being in high heels, a gladiator skirt and a corset.

"Oh, and it was on grass and raining. But I secretly loved the costume."

DAVID MORGAN