The 32-year-old former Horndean schoolgirl's character Honey Mitchell is to be written out of the BBC1 soap.

She was reportedly stunned after being told the news on Friday.

Her onscreen husband Billy – played by actor Perry Fenwick – will remain in the show.

Julie Miller, from the BBC's publicity department, said: 'Yes Emma Barton is leaving the show. She will be leaving in a future storyline.'

Honey first appeared in EastEnders in 2005 and since then has featured in a string of major storylines.

These have included the birth of her daughter Janet, who has Down's Syndrome, and being faced with homelessness last Christmas.

Emma, who was born in Portsmouth and attended Horndean Junior School, is now a patron of the Down's Syndrome Association.

And she has lent her support to Hannah's Holiday Home – cutting the ribbon to the holiday cottage for severely-ill children in the New Forest.

The cottage was set up thanks to Pam Westbrook, 38, of Nightjar Close, Horndean, in memory of courageous 10-year-old Hannah who lost her battle against Hodgkin's Lymphoma three years ago.

Alongside her charity work Emma has continued to remember the community where she grew up.

She returned to the area to support youngsters from Horndean Junior School in January as they took to the stage at the Kings Theatre in Southsea for a musical performance of Honk.

The actress even sent a letter to the school before the opening night thanking them for giving her the 'acting bug'.

In a statement issued through the BBC Emma said: 'I've loved playing Honey and I'm so grateful for the Down's Syndrome storyline and I will continue to be a patron of the Down's Syndrome Association.

'I'm looking forward to going back to my roots in musical theatre.'