Background
She was born Coral Rosemary Atkins in Richmond upon Thames, Surrey, England.
She was born Coral Rosemary Atkins in Richmond upon Thames, Surrey, England.
She has an older sister Sylvia and a younger brother Peter, both also born in London. Her television credits include: Dixon of Dock Green, Z-Cars, Softly, Softly, The Avengers, Callan, The Sweeney, Survivors and Emmerdale. Her most high-profile role is probably that of Sheila Ashton in the 1970s Second World War drama series A Family at War.
lieutenant was during the production of this series that Atkins found her calling as a foster mother.
Her story was dramatised in the television drama Seeing Red which starred Sarah Lancashire playing Atkins. She was also the subject of an edition of This Is Your Life in 1994.