AN appeal has been launched to help a Thurrock family that has received devastating news.

Ockendon mum Brooke Coleman has been battling melanoma for a long time now but her brave fight is likely to end shortly as it has now been diagnosed as terminal.

And the prognosis is that she may only have as little as two to four weeks to live.

In a bid to make her time with her two sons, Vinnie and Albie as memorable for the boys as possible friends and family have launched a fundraising appeal.

A fellow local mum, Chelsea Izzet, whose son Flynn played with Vinnie in the St Clere's Lions junior football team, has launched a fundraising page.

Chelsea says: "This is the most devaststing, heart breaking, unimagable news. Brooke has two amazing boys Vinnie and Albie who are her world and we wanted to show how much everyone cares about her and the boys by setting up this page to raise some funds which will enable them to make some memories that they deserve at this heart breaking time."

The donations page can be found via this link.