A mother who feared she might never be able to have another child after being struck down by cancer is celebrating the birth of her second daughter.

Georgina Leadbeatter had been told by medics that her chances of conceiving again were slim after developing a tumour the size of a small rugby ball.

But after undergoing gruelling surgery and chemotherapy, Mrs Leadbeatter, 28, went on to give birth to Lois last month.

Mrs Leadbeatter was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer just eight months after the birth of her oldest daughter Gracie, now four.

She said: “It was a complete shock and very scary.

“The surgery was hard and the chemotherapy was horrendous. But the worst thing was not knowing what the future held.”

After the surgery to remove the ovary and fallopian tube, Mrs Leadbeatter needed intensive chemo so had to leave Gracie behind and travel to Charing Cross Hospital in London where she was admitted for four or five days every other week for three months.

Mrs Leadbeatter said: “I had good treatment and am very thankful to still be here today.”

Mrs Leadbeatter, a dental nurse from Horsham, is running in this year's Cancer Research UK Race for Life in Worthing, where she will be joined by her daughters and friends Nicola Pavey and Becky Jupp.

Women and girls can enter any of the Race for Life events in Sussex at www.raceforlife.org or by calling 0871 641 1111.