SHE juggles a high-powered job in politics with a hectic home life mothering two growing and energtic boys.

But Tory politician and all-out action woman Caroline Dinenage still squeezes in a packed sports and exercise regime to ensure her family keeps in shape.

Now the Gosport MP has taken up a new challenge by backing our Staying Alive campaign, urging our readers to get active to protect themselves against chronic illnesses and conditions.

We launched the initiative after revealing that 13,000 Hampshire residents died prematurely from cancer, heart disease and stroke, and lung disease and liver disease between 2009 and 2011.

Caroline – daughter of popular sports journalist and ITV presenter Fred Dinenage – said: “It’s a great campaign and I take my hat off to the Echo as it’s tragic that people are dying from preventable conditions.

“We are not saying that everyone should be eating lettuce leaves but it’s taking more care of what they eat and taking more time for exercise – small changes that will save people’s lives.”

The former Wickham House pupil was raised on sport from an early age by her father and she has continued the trend with sons Edward, ten, and Freddie, five.

She is the Parliamentary netball ambassador, promoting the sport across the country and has set up the House of Commons netball team.

Daily Echo:

She regularly attends the gym, ran the Sport Relief Mile and played football as a youngster while at Wi ck h a m School in Fareham.

Last week she pulled the strings at the charity House of Commons Tug of War competition in aid of Macmillan Cancer but her all woman team were n a r r o w l y beaten by the M a c m i l l a n Nurses.

She admitted it is far from easy to fit exercise around her Parliamentary schedule but said: “When you have boys you’ve got to make sure you use up their energy.

“We have a sporty lifestyle and it’s all about making exercise fun and spending family time together and it can be an inexpensive way of making a difference in people’s lives.”

Daily Echo:

She is also supporting the British Heart Foundation’s Play Ball Games Here campaign urging children to exercise for an hour a day.