Lewis has been out of action for almost three years

Olympic heptathlon champion Denise Lewis will make her long-awaited comeback in July.

Lewis will line up at the European Cup meeting on 5 July in Tallinn, Estonia, as she begins the build-up to the World Championships in Paris in August.

The Briton has not competed in a heptathlon since her Sydney 2000 triumph, after taking time out for the birth of her daughter.

And her new coach, Frank Dick, is warning against taking too much for granted as the 30-year-old sets her sights first on ataning the 6,105 points needed to qualify for Paris.

"We have had to start from square one and rebuild Denise's career," said Dick.

"You have to take into account there has been a total change of lifestyle since Denise won the Olympic gold medal.

"She's had an operation on her foot, suffers persistent abdominal problems and pains in both her back and shoulders and of course had a baby last April.

I think she can break her personal best in the future Coach Frank Dick

"But her training indicates everything is on song and I think she'll be OK to get back into top form, although it will take time.

"We'll find out a lot more after the European Cup. I don't think she will be in the kind of shape to set a personal best this year.

"But I think she can break her personal best in the future and the aim is to try and get her in PB shape for next year."

Lewis divides her time between her home in Belgium, which she shares with partner Patrick Stevens and daughter Lauryn, and her north London home.

Her former coach Charles van Commenee officially resigned his position shortly after the birth as he was concerned she would not have the drive to make it back to the top.

Dick admits Lewis suffered a few setbacks in her quest to return to full fitness after two years away from athletics.

But he said: "I know she is in reasonable shape because of a session she does pulling a 7.5kg sled behind her over 60m," Dick told Athletics Weekly magazine.

"The time differential between the running with and without the sled is about a second, which is good.

"Some would say it should be closer to 0.6 seconds, but she will develop her absolute strength.

"I think of the speed component first and then develop the strength component."