A GIN distillery founded by a Blackburn man is to produce a new brand to raise cash for a cervical cancer charity after his wife's recovery from the disease.

Mark Long's wife Liz was diagnosed with potentially fatal condition aged 29 in January when their daughter Olive was just eight months old.

Now recovering well after major life-changing surgeries she and her husband decided to put something back into the treatment of the disease.

The Brindle Distillery is this summer to produce an addition to its award-winning Cuckoo Gin range - Cuckoo Solace - to raise money for research, treatment and support charity Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust.

It will be launched at a fundraising event with a live auction and entertainment at the firm's Holmes Farm base in Sandy Lane on Saturday September 28.

Mr Long, 32 who was raised in Fensicowles and attended St. Wilfrid's High School, said: "We wanted to do something for cervical cancer because of all the support we received.

"All the proceeds from the first batch will go to the charity with a percentage thereafter.

"This is very close to the team at Cuckoo’s hearts as Liz was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of the cancer in January

"This was discovered from the results of a routine cervical screening test,.

"Liz underwent major life-changing surgeries to treat the cancer and is fortunately, after a long recovery process,now living cancer free."

Mrs Long, now 30 who now teaches at Westholme school where she was a pupil before a career in West End musical theatre, said: "I am now extremely passionate about raising awareness of the importance of women attending their cervical screening tests.

"Attendance, unfortunately, is currently at an all-time low."

Her parents Gerard and Cath Singleton are fellow directors of the distillery, which currently produces three Cuckoo gins and the Cathedra brand for Blackburn Cathedral. They farm at Withnell.

The trust is named after Jo Maxwell who died aged 40 from Cervical Cancer and was founded by her husband James in 1999 and is the leading charity for tackling the disease.

Mrs Long published online blog about her journey through the condition earlier this year.