FORMER Home and Away and Blue Heelers actor Catherine (Cathy) Godbold has died following a long fight with cancer.

It's understood Ms Godbold, who was 43, passed away on Friday night.

She was first diagnosed with cancer in July 2007 and fought two brain tumours during the next decade. The treatment meant she was unable to work for long periods.

Her mother, TV presenter Rosemary Margan, passed away at the end of last year. Ms Godbold played her mother in The King, a movie based on the life of Graham Kennedy.

She also played the roles of Meg Bowman on Home and Away and Deborah Hale on The Saddle Club.

The actor had thought she had beaten the disease. But in January, just months after her mother's death, she was told the disease had made a comeback, reported the Herald Sun.

"The cancer reappeared in the same place and it was impossible to treat it and certainly impossible to operate," her stepfather Ross Mitchell said.

"It progressed at a very, very quick rate, much quicker than anybody expected."

Sally Browne, a family friend of Ms Godbold, told Channel 9 that her death was particularly tragic coming so soon after her mothers.

"When she was told (the disease) was terminal, it was a really tragic situation; she was missing her mum and she was in hospital."

She was significantly affected by the tumour in her final weeks.

"Like all brain tumours, it eventually took over and it was just a tragic, tragic end," said Ms Browne.

Ms Godbold suffered a seizure last month but would still dance to music by the ban Coldplay, she said.

"We also had her scrapbooks there and were reading to her - so there were some beautiful, poignant moments as well.

"Cathy was a wonderful, young woman and a very talented young actor," she said.

Ms Godbold will be laid to rest on Thursday.