A DARTS tournament will be held to mark what would have been the 40th birthday of a courageous woman who died from cancer ten years ago.

Gemma Feeney, from Deane, died in March, 2007 after losing a brave five-year battle with the disease, aged just 29.

She became well known for her selfless response to the disease by launching a fundraising campaign and collecting about £100,000 for The Christie in Manchester.

Now her sister, Sarah Morris is staging a huge darts tournament at the Macron on March 24.

Mrs Morris, from Hindley, said Ms Feeney had been a keen darts fan and said funds would go to Bolton Hospice.

She said: “Gemma was my sister and my best friend. She fought and fought and fought the cancer.

“She tried to raise as much awareness as she could about the treatments available.

“Cancer is becoming more and more widespread among children and adults.

“Her death devastated the family but her fight has given me the courage and strength to carry on.”

Ms Feeney was first diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2002 after complaining of painful headaches.

She underwent seven-and-a-half hours of surgery, six weeks of radiotherapy and four weeks of chemotherapy and thought she had beaten her illness.

But in May, 2004 she developed severe back pain and rare tumours were discovered on her spine. She continued with her treatment but doctors told her the illness was terminal.

She launched a fundraising campaign and put on hundreds of events, attracting donations from comedians Peter Kay and Paddy McGuinness.

Mrs Morris said the Darts For Life 2018 competition, which will be held in the Premier Suite at the Macron, is open to players of all abilities.

Whoever wins will receive a trophy and £2,000 prize money.

The event begins at 11am with an after-party will go on until 1am the next day.

People can register by finding the event at ticketsource.co.uk

For more information on the event, go to the Darts For Life 2018 Open Comp Facebook page.