Cancer patient Julie Slade says she has been over-whelmed with the support of her friends and family as they rally round to raise money to buy her life-prolonging drugs.

Mrs Slade, 48, who lives in Hilmarton with husband Steve, had previously battled breast cancer and thought she had beaten the illness until it returned this year.

The group of friends and neighbours have organised a sponsored cricket match at Goatacre Cricket Club on September 6 where England U19 star Liam Dawson will be playing to raise cash for his parents’ friend.

Mrs Slade, who is undergoing chemotherapy, said: “This is all so humbling and words cannot really express how I am feeling right now.

“It is a very hard time but as everyone says to me – what would you do if this was happening to someone else in the village, I would want to do the same.

“The medication I need is not available on the NHS and so needs to be paid for privately. It is no longer about curing the disease but more about the quality of my life.

“The youngsters here who are all helping out with the fundraising are all very special people.

“I would love to be able to go along to the cricket match to show my support for them supporting me but I am not sure I will be up to it.”

One of the driving forces behind the fundraising is Georgie Newland, 21, whose parents live next door to Mrs Slade.

She said: “Julie is a lovely, lovely woman and when we heard the cancer was back we were all devastated.

“The amount of money she needs for the drug Avastin is about £4,000 for two months worth but the actual costs are more like £32,000 because she needs to employ a private practitioner to administer the drug.

“It is an horrific amount of money and we are determined to do absolutely everything we can to raise it.”

England and Hampshire cricket star Liam Dawson jumped at the chance of coming back home to Wiltshire to help with the fundraising.

He said: “I was asked to get together something that could be auctioned off but I wanted to do more than that so I said I will get a team together and play. My parents are good friends with Julie and I think it is great what these people are doing.”

As well as the cricket match the group has arranged a host of other fundraisers including a football tournament.