Brave Hannah, 16, hails 'fab' holiday

THE first seriously ill youngster to benefit from a free-holiday scheme in Torbay has hailed her experience a huge success.

Sixteen-year-old Hannah Jones has endured three operations in nine months on a cancerous brain tumour, and during the last operation she suffered a stroke.

She now uses a wheelchair because the chemotherapy leaves her so weak, but that hasn't stopped her raising £30,000 for brain tumour research in the past 12 months.

Hannah also featured recently on a BBC2 programme about brain tumours, in which she spoke defiantly about her condition.

However, her illness has meant that her family, from Chester, haven't been able to enjoy a holiday together this year.

That situation was remedied by Luke Tillen, co-owner of the 27-room Hotel de la Mer in Babbacombe, Torquay, who set up Torbay Holiday Helpers Network.

The scheme consists of hotels, tourist attractions and businesses offering free holidays and experiences to families who have terminally or seriously ill children.

As the first family to benefit from the scheme, the Joneses enjoyed a wide array of attractions across South Devon as part of a seven-night break.

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