A BRIDE-to-be has lost her fight against cancer just weeks before the wedding she had spent a year planning.

Claire Douglas, 32, was due to marry her fiance, Paul, on August 20, and, despite her illness, had been making preparations for the big day.

But she died at the family home in Higham Road, Cliffe, near Rochester, with her wedding less than a month away.

Claire's mother Anne, 52, said: "Over the last year the whole family, including her sister Dawn, made the most out of life.

"Claire had beaten an earlier brain tumour and was in remission, so we wanted to do lots of things together as life had changed."

Claire, who had a 10-year-old son, Jack, from a previous marriage, was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour just over three years ago. At about the same time, she met her future fiance Paul.

Claire had surgery and radiotherapy and beat the first tumour. Anne said: "Even though Claire was in remission, life had changed and our priorities changed. We, along with her sister Dawn, wanted to be together.

"Her fiance Paul was wonderful. He took her to Thailand for a dream holiday and took her to see all the sights."