FAMILY and friends of cancer victim Julia Hember will plant a two-and-a-half acre wood in her memory. Paul and Mary Hember, of Codford near Warminster, are planning to mark their daughter's birthday, the first after her life was cut short last May.

People have been invited to choose a tree, plant it and see the beginnings of Julia's Wood on April 4 the Sunday closest to her birthday on April 6.

The names of some of the 33-year-old's closest pals will be attached to the trees and planted in the 'circle of friends'.

Mrs Hember said: "It is in memory of the girl we all loved so well.

"Julia herself planned to plant some trees here, including those grown from acorns she had collected, and her ideas are incorporated in the design."

As well as the wood, the freelance photographer is fondly remembered through her collection of photographs and paintings.

Her portrait of journalist Jeffrey Bernard has been accepted by the National Portrait Gallery and is on its website.

"We have already had a request to use this image for a book cover," said Mrs Hember.

Julia's 12-month battle against leukaemia touched Wiltshire Times' readers' hearts and in a bid to find a bone marrow match for her, we set up the Save a Life Appeal.

With the help of her parents, more than 1,000 joined a blood donor register compiled by the Anthony Nolan Trust, including staff from Wiltshire County Council and Virgin Mobile in Trowbridge.

A match for Julia was eventually found and she received a transplant, but lost her fight after a sharp increase in the level of cancerous cells in her body.

Julia's family and friends rushed to her bedside to spend the last precious hours with her.

She loved horses and a horse drawn hearse led the procession to her funeral last June at St Etheldreda's Church, London.