A WOMAN who suffers from bowel cancer - the condition which killed her father - has spoken of her battle against the illness.

Mother-of-one Ann Cooke, has told her story to publicise a small charity event in her community for Cancer Research UK.

Mrs Cooke, 52, from Greatham, near Hartlepool, first realised something was wrong on September 25 last year.

"I remember the date very clearly. It was the day of my dad's funeral," said Mrs Cooke who said her father, Alan Benson died of bowel cancer, aged 80.

"I realised I was feeling unwell, but I put it down to all the emotion following my father's death."

After a couple of weeks she went to see her GP and was eventually diagnosed with bowel cancer.

She said: "I'd been experiencing a lot of pain and the GP had found blood in my urine, which is why he'd referred me for tests.

"When I was diagnosed with cancer my husband Michael was devastated. It was very hard on our 17-year-old son, Ross. He didn't make a fuss but I could tell he was suffering quietly."

Mrs Cooke had six months of chemotherapy, starting in January and is now in remission.

She has returned to work as a sales promotion assistant and is to take a stall at this year's craft fair on Saturday at the village hall in Hart.

The fair is raising money for Cancer Research UK and takes place between 10am and 3pm.