A FUND has been set up to help a former army soldier recovering from a brain tumour.

Friends and relatives of Julie Read, 43, from Bourton on the Water want to raise £1000 to make improvements to her home as a way of helping her recover.

Ms Read, suffers from PTSD, anxiety, depression and frequent migraines. She had a meningioma tumour removed recently which has led to mobility issues and occasional seizures.

A meningioma is a brain tumour that develops in the layers of tissue that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord, Ms Reed's tumour was not cancerous.

Her brother Chris Tuck said: "Julie has mobility issues which arise mainly due to dizziness and disorientation.

"She is just about able to walk to and from the village main street from her house which is about ten minutes walk. "However if the PTSD gives her a bad day, which happens a lot she is sometimes unable to bring herself to leave her house, and the outside areas we are trying to improve for her are currently unsuitable and unsafe, even for use on a good day.

"On the whole it is to help boost her coping mechanisms for both mental and physical stresses. She's a strong, independent woman yet her illnesses really make her life hell when it gets bad.

"The aim is to raise funds to improve the accessibility of the external areas of her home, which is uneven and badly lit.

"Pathways will be levelled, a hard standing area installed to provide somewhere for outdoor seating, this will help greatly when some relaxation is needed as nature is a big deal when it comes to her unwinding.

"There will also be some work done to make the garden lower maintenance, and outdoor lighting will be installed both for safety and security.

"Julie is an instantly likeable character and has a sharp and infectious sense of humour."

Ms Read's tumour was 69mm across, which is around 40 percent larger than what the medical profession would class as a large tumour.

She was discharged early from her army service due to her medical issues after serving more than 20 years with the Royal Corps of Transport and then transferring over to the Adjutant General's Corps (AGC).

Mr Tuck will be coming from Hull to help complete the work and will be joined by other volunteers.

To donate, go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/stuart-soper-1?utm_id=107&utm_term=7d29bqMDA