Age has not stopped a pensioner from raising thousands of pounds to beat blood cancer.

The war on leukaemia has had great progress but the research is expensive and other blood cancers have to be tackled.

Edith Oakley, 96, (pictured above), was first brought into contact with leukaemia more than 50 years ago when her late son John contracted the disease.

After his death, Mrs Oakley and her late husband Laurie began fundraising for the recently-formed Leukaemia Research and Mrs Oakley is not stopping.

She said: “We lost something very precious and I cannot stop.

“Even if I only raise a few pounds, I will not stop raising money for the research.

“For more than 50 years, I have continued to raise money and I have raised around a quarter of a million pounds.”

Mrs Oakley has supported the organisation that became the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research - now ‘Bloodwise’ - which researches a wider group of blood cancers.

On Sunday, Mrs Oakley is holding a Christmas bazaar November 22 at the Phillimore Centre in Radlett, to continue her fundraising.

The bazaar will have stalls selling Christmas cards, books, toys, babies’ cardigans, tombola and others.

Mrs Oakley said: “I realise all blood cancers will not be eradicated in my life time but I am delighted with the success made with leukaemia since my John’s death. Research must go on, so please help us fund it and come along to the bazaar.”