Brit Navy officer hangs up his uniform to become transgender pole dancer

London, June 6(ANI): A former Royal Navy officer has revealed 'her' new lease of life as a transgender pole dance instructor.

According to The Daily Mail, Natasha Gray, 48, was formerly called David Payne, who at the age of 28 had admitted to being a cross dresser.

However, four years ago the father-of-one became a full-time woman and adopted the new name.t led to Natasha having breast implants last year and have regular hormone treatments.

"I knew when I was four years old what I was. I should have been born in a woman's body. I made some tough decisions. I knew I couldn't say anything and I couldn't be seen anywhere near anything feminine - it was the 1960s and people weren't accepting - so I had girlfriends," Natasha said.

Natasha, who currently lives in North Tyneside, England, with her 21-year-old son and girlfriend Mary, said that she took up dancing four years ago.

"I started with Latin and burlesque classes, but I couldn't keep up, so the dance teacher suggested pole dancing. I said 'you must be joking', but she was right. You can learn single moves, then put them together into a routine and it's fantastic fun," she said.

"Its got a reputation for being sleazy, but it's a form of fitness. I entered the Pole Princess 2009 competition in Newcastle and Pole Jam in Sunderland, and I came second. The first time I did a competition I was absolutely shaking. But once I got going I lost all sense of where I was and loved it."

"As for teaching, I don't teach much, but I have started a course for instructors and lead a class at Blue and Basement in Middlesbrough, to show people very simple moves," she added. (ANI)