lane is originally from hebden bridge near halifax. lane attended wardle academy and then huddersfield technical college. at the age of 19 she was accepted to train at the prestigious central school of speech and drama in london, graduating in 2008 with a 1st class honours degree in acting. on finishing drama school, lane was cast immediately in the itv 1960s-based drama " heartbeat" where she made her television debut playing a teacher, wendy kelshaw, in the episode 'school of hard knocks'.