A FAMILY fun day inspired by York brain tumour victim Emily Nicholson raised more than £1,000 as she continues her brave battle against cancer at a York hospice.

Emily’s family hoped back in January to raise £30,000 towards the cost of undergoing specialist treatment abroad after her cancer had spread to a part of her brain which surgeons couldn’t reach.

But her mother Joanne revealed yesterday that Emily, 24, was now in St Leonard’s Hospice after her condition had deteriorated very rapidly, and she wasn’t well enough now to go to Germany for the treatment.

“Em’s condition is not good but she’s still fighting and staying positive,” she said.

“Even when she’s in so much pain, she manages to make everyone around her smile.

“She can’t walk and has very little sight so gets very frustrated but keeps that beautiful smile going. An absolute inspiration and so beautiful.”

Joanne said the appeal had raised a total of almost £13,000 so far, and the money would now be split between the hospice and the young adult and teenage cancer trust.

She said the family fun day, which was held on Sunday at York Acorn Amateur Rugby League Club and featured live music, face painting, live reptiles, bouncy castle, glitter tattoos, raffle and tombola, was a "brilliant day", adding: “Lots of friends turned out for Emily.”

Organiser Lisa Harrison, who is a friend of Joanne, said the event raised £1,151 for the appeal, with another £553 raised through a collection at a dance competition by the Club 68 dance club, which Emily was involved in as a child.

She said further events had been planned and would go ahead despite Emily’s deterioration.

“It may be too late to change anything but it was agreed we would keep planning them to show Em we were not giving up the fight,” she said.

“We have a boxing night planned on Saturday, April 27 at Henry’s Gym in Acomb, with tickets costing £10 in advance by calling 07545 652049 or £15 on the door.”

She added that she and her friend Mel Boyes were also planning to run in the Lakeland trails marathon challenge on Sunday, June 2.

The £30,000 appeal launched in January was the second one to have been set up on behalf of Emily, of Foxwood.

The Press reported in 2016 how, having emigrated to Australia four years earlier from their home in York’s Monkton Road area, more than £8,000 was raised to pay for her to return to see her old friends for one final time. She thrived so well during the visit that her family subsequently decided to come back to live in York.