Irene Amanda Burton (born 10 October 1956) is a Northern Irish actress, notable for her television roles as Heather Black in the Channel 4 soap opera, "Brookside", from 1982 to 1986; Beth Glover in the ITV drama series, "Peak Practice", from 1993 to 1995; Sam Ryan in the BBC crime drama series, "Silent Witness", from 1996 to 2004; Clare Blake in the ITV1 crime drama series, "The Commander", from 2003 to 2008; and Karen Fisher in the BBC One school-based drama series, "Waterloo Road", from 2010 to 2011.