CHERYL Cole says her stage performances leave her ''hurting like hell'' every night.

Cole, who injured her toe while training for her Mount Kilimanjaro climb for Comic Relief, said that dancing in heels for her Girls Aloud routine has made the problem worse.

The Newcastle singer, whose big toe on her left foot has been bandaged up, said that a doctor drilled a hole in the nail to release the pressure.

Cole told Hello! magazine: ''When I was training for the climb, my boots were too tight, which put pressure on my toe and the nail went black.

''It was growing off, but now, with all the dancing we do in high heels for this show, it's built up again and it's hurting like hell every night.''

Asked what it felt like being labelled the nation's sweetheart, Cole said: ''I can think of worse things to be called - and I have been!

''I've gone from one extreme to the other - I was a bit of a pantomime villain before.

''But I can feel the difference in people's attitude towards me wherever I go, I really can. I can feel the love and that's really nice.''