A mum fighting an aggressive form of cancer is preparing for the Christmas doctors did not think she would see after miracle treatment.

Laura Hymas, of High Street, Rochester, has seen her tumour shrink by more than a third in just six weeks after pioneering therapy in America.

The 25-year-old was diagnosed last Christmas Eve with a type of brain cancer for which there is no cure in Britain and was not expected to live more than 12 months.

But she is already improving since treatment in the USA funded by £75,000 raised by family, friends and strangers.

Laura, who has two-year-old Jacob with fiance Ben, enjoyed a family trip to the Dickensian Christmas Festival in Rochester at the weekend.

Ben said: "We never expected Laura to get this far. It means we can celebrate Christmas properly as a family. If anyone deserves a chance, Laura does."

Since being diagnosed, she has developed epilepsy and has multiple seizures a day.

Her right arm has been almost paralysed so she has been unable to pick up Jacob or bath him.

But since starting treatment in America in July, Laura has begun to show signs of improvement.

Ben said: "She has started to get the use of her paralysed right arm and hand back.

"She has got a lot more energy and she is able to go on short walks with Jacob.

"We never expected Laura to get this far. It means we can celebrate Christmas properly as a family."

Laura and Ben set up their campaign after finding out about treatment in the USA, Laura and Ben set their sights on raising £75,000 to fly her across the Atlantic to receive gene therapy at a clinic in Texas.

Friends, family and colleagues pledged their support, but the campaign really took off when it was noticed by comedian Rufus Hound, pictured. Hound appealed to his 230,000 Twitter followers to donate.

Within 24 hours, the Hope for Laura website had received 30,000 hits and raised £10,000.

Laura and Ben, who live in High Street, Rochester, now need to raise another £90,000 so she can continue her treatment, which involves having daily doses of drugs and scans every six weeks.

Ben said about Laura: "She is the most amazing person I've ever met. She needs to be able to see Jacob grow up. She won't give up without a fight because she loves her son so much."