THE sister of a courageous woman who campaigned as she battled a brain tumour will mark the anniversary of her death by opening her salon for 24 hours straight.

Anna Swabey, of Newton Aycliffe, used her Inside My Head blog to help raise funds for research after being diagnosed with the terminal illness at the age of 23.

Less than two years later the inspirational fundraiser lost her fight, aged 25 - just one day before her wedding - on September 16, 2016.

To mark the second anniversary of her death, Miss Swabey’s sister Victoria Cartwright has announced plans to welcome customers into her salon, Lox of Love, for a ‘24-hour blow out’.

With the help of her team of staff, who are donating their time free of charge, the businesswoman will open from midday on September 15 and close at midday the following day.

Mrs Cartwright said: “We chose to complete the challenge over the 24 hours surrounding the anniversary of Anna’s death as we felt it was our way of remembering the positives during a truly awful day.

"I’m sure Anna would have loved it too - she was a sucker for a good pamper.”

During her last precious months Miss Swabey set out to raise £100,000 for the Brain Tumour Research Campaign (BTRC).

Her campaign gained local and national attention and helped drive a petition calling for more research funding to be debated in Parliament, which she attended.

On the day of Miss Swabey’s funeral her funding target was reached and in the aftermath of her death her family vowed to continue her legacy.

Since then funds have reached £131,000.

Last year to mark the first anniversary of her death more than 50 gathered for a five-mile memory walk.

Mrs Cartwright added: “Continuing to raise awareness of brain tumours and of course fundraising for much needed research into treatments is absolutely vital still, and from our point of view even more so the longer that time goes on since Anna’s death.

“Anna campaigned and fundraised so hard in her last 20 months and for us to not continue her legacy would be undoing all of her hard work and dedication.

“The more time that passes, the greater the potential for her story to just become another terrible loss.”

As well as a range of hairstyling and beauty services on offer at the ‘24-hour blow out’, there will be drinks, nibbles and a DJ.

All proceeds will go to BTRC.