Friends and family of a woman given the heart-wrenching news she may have just one year to live have launched a fundraising bid to help the 19-year-old fulfil her dreams.

Former trainee hairdresser Hollie Owen was diagnosed at the age of 15 with scleroderma, a rare auto-immune disease that attacks connective tissue under skin and around joints and internal organs. There is no cure.

In August, doctors told Hollie the condition had caused significant scarring on her heart and that if the disease continued to progress she was unlikely to live longer than 12 months.

“I could have a little over a year left if my heart stops working,” she said.

“It was shocking to hear. When I was first told about it, it was very hard for me to deal with.”

Now friends and family from Snodland have pitched in to launch a £10,000 bid on crowd- funding website GoFundMe.

They hope to help the East Grinstead girl fulfil some life-long ambitions, such as swimming with dolphins, riding in a hot-air balloon and going on safari in South Africa.

“I could have a little over a year left if my heart stops working. It was shocking to hear" - Hollie Owen

Rebecca Ruler, the sister of Matthew Phyall, Hollie’s boyfriend of four years, set up the appeal. The 32-year-old Queen’s Avenue, Snodland, resident said: “Hollie has been in my family for a long time. When I heard about this, I felt completely helpless. I didn’t know what to do.

“Now we want to raise money for Hollie to make some of her dreams come true.

“The response has been just amazing so far. When I started this, I never thought for a moment that a month later we would have £6,000. I feel overwhelmed and so does Hollie.”

The family will be holding a Halloween fundraising party for Hollie at Horton Kirby village hall on Saturday, October 31.

They are asking any businesses that would like to contribute raffle prizes to contact them on hollieowenfundraising@gmail.com.

Donations to Hollie’s bucket list can be made at www.gofundme.com/hopeforhollieowen.