SHE was the voluptuous, buxom fantasy of a thousand schoolboy dreams.

Sex-crazed and available, she was the Hai Karate girl - turned into a raging nymphomaniac at the first whiff of a pungent aftershave.

But just look at Valerie Leon now!

The 1970s star of many Carry On films and horror movies, and a Bond girl, is set to delight TV audiences early next year.

She is one of the stars lined up for the 2006 series of the hit comedy, Last Of the Summer Wine.

And she's set to rival battleaxe Nora Batty in the beauty stakes.

Gone is the desperately-deep cleavage and the legs which went on forever.

In their place are extra body padding, Granny glasses and hair scraped back from her forehead.

Valerie, now 59, is pictured with two of her co-stars from the series, Keith Clifford (Billy), left, and Brian Murphy, who plays Alvin.

A BBC insider said: "When the episode is screened next year viewers will be in for a shock.

"Not only was Valerie padded out for the role but she also wore glasses, no make up and had her hair tied back.

"It's quite a change from the glamour roles she was known for"!

Show producer Alan J W Bell said: "Valerie has joined us as a battleaxe, who is recruited to join Billy's Robin ood men.

"It was great to work with her".

Valerie has now formed her own promotions company 'Valerie Leon Promotions' which specialises in gourmet restaurants and arts-related activities.

She said: "I still love showbusiness but, as we all know, parts are scarce for the mature woman and there are many great middle-aged actresses out there!

"I will, however, always take time off to make special appearances or do fun commercials, such as the recently filmed and highly successful Kellogg's Fruit 'n' Fibre."

The Hai Karate ads featured a bespectacled geek liberally dousing himself with the aftershave and then going for a walk.

Inevitably, he managed to bump into the same voluptuous, busty brunette who, overwhelmed by the amazing potency of Hai Karate, turned from a respectable passer-by into a sex-craved nymphomaniac.

It won't happen in Summer Wine!