A DARWEN woman has used her baking skills to help raise awareness of cancer after her daughter died from the disease.

Phyllis Gilbertson designed and baked a heart-shaped cake for Lancashire charity, Rosemere Cancer Foundation, for their annual Valentine’s Appeal, a month long campaign that aims to raise £30,000.

The cake was on display yesterday in Darwen market, where people were able to guess its weight and try to win it.

Phyllis also sold Valentine appeal badges and gave out information about the charity. The 64-year-old decided to give something back to Rosemere Cancer Foundation after her daughter was treated at the centre in 2011.

Denise Downie was 37 when she was diagnosed with cancer of the bladder and uterus. She was treated with radiotherapy, but died in September 2011. Phyllis said: “When Denise was told she had cancer her world fell apart.

“We were all devastated, but the staff at Rosemere gave us hope and helped Denise find the fighting spirit she needed to get through the treatment.”