Family's missing purse plea

A plea has gone out to help find the purse of a terminally ill woman, who lost it while on holiday in the Lake District.

Tammy Pickford, from Devon, was visiting Ambleside with her family, as part of a trip organised by the Willow Foundation, a charity that provides holidays for families dealing with illnesses.

The day before they left home, she lost her purse somewhere in the town.

It had £45 of cash inside, but Tammy's sister says that isn't important; what's most upsetting is that it had several items of medical and sentimental importance.

Tammy is currently receiving treatment for cancer, and the purse had medical alert cards inside.

It also had two guardian angel badges, which friends had given her to keep her safe, and a "treasured and irreplaceable" photo of her dad.

Tammy's sister, Donna, is now asking people in Ambleside for help finding the purse.

She says it may have been left at the public toilets, or benches, near the Fat Face clothes shop.

It's described as a fold-over black leather purse.

Since returning from holiday, Tammy has been admitted to hospital, and Donna says she'd love to be able to return the items, and bring a smile to her sister's face.

She says they've been bowled over by the response from the local community so far, and that one person, who wants to remain anonymous, has already offered a £100 reward to anyone who can return it.