BRAVE brain tumour victim Emily Rhodes has flown back to Australia after a ‘lovely’ three weeks in her home city of York.

Her father Martin has said a ‘massive thank you’ to all the fundraisers who made it possible for Emily to travel across the globe to see all her old friends one final time.

“You truly are heroes in our eyes and will never know what it has meant to us,” he posted on Facebook.

“We have had a brilliant time. It’s been manic at times trying to see everybody, but sadly that wasn’t possible.

“If we haven’t been able to see you we are sorry. We love you all, thank you.”

Emily posted: “Lovely time we had here. Time has flown by.”

Her mother Joanne, speaking from Australia yesterday afternoon, said they had had a good flight back to Perth, and she also spoke of how beneficial the visit back to York had been for her daughter.

“Emily has thrived in York, surrounded by her friends,” she said.

The 22-year-old, who was brought up in the Monkton Road area of York but emigrated with her family to Australia four years ago, was diagnosed last year as being terminally ill with a brain tumour.

The former Huntington School pupil decided she wanted to return to the city where she grew up to meet up for one final time with her old friends, and also relatives who did not move to Australia, and a fundraising campaign was launched in January.

She flew back to York last month after well-wishers raised £8,000 to help fund the trip.

Fundraising activities included a family fun day held at New Earswick Sports Club, a sponsored rollerskate and a raffle with a difference, with the prize being to get their phrase tattooed on a man’s leg.

When Emily got back to York, she told The Press that it was hard to explain what it meant to be back where she grew up and with all her friends.

She said she felt humble and overwhelmed by everyone’s support, adding: “It’s just lovely how they are all here for me.”

She ended up staying just inside the Bar Walls in Bishophill, and ‘danced the night away’ at a reunion party held at the Marygate working men’s club. She also paid a visit with her family to Whitby, which she had always loved as a child.