FRIENDS of a 20-year-old woman who is suffering from cancer are rallying around to raise funds to send her on holiday.

Donna Long, from Billingham, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in February this year.

She is undergoing treatment, including chemotherapy, to beat the illness.

Family friends have organised a football match and charity evening at a pub in the town early next month.

Proceeds from the two events will go towards sending Donna away for a holiday.

"It was a really big shock when I got the diagnosis," said Donna. "I'd been feeling ill for a few weeks beforehand, but I never thought it could be cancer.

"Now I'm just trying to get on with it and accept it. I've been told that this is a difficult illness to beat, but I'm determined to fight it and prove people wrong."

Donna said her main focus at the moment was on returning to her job as a receptionist at Safeguard Security, a security firm in Stockton.

She said: "I had to give up my job to have an operation, which I'm recovering from at the moment. People keep asking me how I'm feeling, but at the moment I feel completely fine. I just want to get back to work."

A football match is taking place on April 3 and will involve players from the King's Arms Pub in Billingham.

The following night there will be a social event at the Merlin Pub in the town. The fundraisers have been organised to coincide with the anniversary of the death of Billingham man Les Wardell, who died three years ago from cancer.

His wife, Pam, said that after hearing of Donna's plight, it was decided to donate the money from this year's events towards helping her.

Pam said: "This is an annual event now and we just try and raise as much cash as we can for a good cause. I know Donna and her family and she's a lovely girl. We thought that under the circumstances it was the least we could do to get some money together to send her away somewhere."