Eight men are running to raise money and awareness for charity after losing their "fun-loving, caring and wonderful" aunt to cancer.

Sharon Healy, 59, was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma (LMS), a rare and aggressive cancer than affects soft tissues, in March 2016.

The mother-of-three visited doctors after suffering from headaches, only to find masses of tumours in her lungs.

Her sister-in-law, Philomena Manton, described the family’s "disbelief" when they were told that she was given four to six months to live.

She said: "She looked so healthy and lived such a healthy life.

“She said she didn’t feel ill at all.”

After Sharon passed away in June this year, more than 400 people attended her funeral in Palmers Green, with many of the attendees being former pupils and parents of two nurseries in Richmond which she ran.

The church benches were "absolutely full" as people sat in the choir loft and stood along the sides and outside trying to listen.

But Sharon’s family will remember her as the aunty “who always arrived bearing gifts and an endless supply of delicious homemade cakes,” Patrick Manton, her nephew, said.

Philomena added: “You so often hear about people who light up the room when they enter, but for me I think Sharon got people in the room to light up because she took a genuine interest in everybody.

“You felt she gave everybody value."

Philomena, 64, became "close friends" with Sharon while studying at St Mary’s College in Strawberry Hill and when they both worked at Dolcis Shoes in Oxford Street.

But it was when she went to a party in Philomena’s flat in December 1975 that she met her husband, James.

She said: “We all call him James, because he’s my brother, but he introduced himself all those years ago as Jim.

“We’d always ask, ‘Why are you calling him Jim?’ and she would say, ‘Well, because that’s what he said his name was!'”

Sharon promoted sarcoma awareness during her treatment and helped raise almost £5,000 with family members.

Now Patrick, 34, and his seven cousins will run in Richmond Running Festival’s half-marathon on September 16 in her memory.

All money raised will go to Sarcoma UK, with the total already pledged approaching £2,000.

He said: “We are raising money for Sarcoma UK which highlights awareness and funds research into battling this disease.

“Sharon’s greatest gift was herself, as she remembered each one of us.

“Now it’s our turn to remember her.”

To donate, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sarcomaukrichmondhalf?utm_id=27

To find out more, visit: https://sarcoma.org.uk