LOVING sister Michelle Lovell needs £650 more to pay for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to hug her sibling one last time.

Michelle and sister Tracey Gardner have been close ever since they were born just 15 months apart, so when doctors found three tumours in Tracey’s brain all Michelle wanted to do was comfort her with a cuddle.

But Tracey moved to Perth, Australia, eight years ago when she got a job as a nurse and Michelle, a working mum-of-four, cannot afford the £2,000 flights to get out to see her.

The 45-year-old from Blunsdon has been fundraising since September for the money to help her go and hug her sister.

She has so far raised £1,350, thanks to the help of friend Leanna Benjamin, who read about what had happened and set up a dedicated fund-raising page on Facebook.

Michelle said that Tracey was given just six months to live back in September, adding: “She’s had one operation to remove one of the tumours but there are still two left.

“She's been on courses of radiotherapy and palliative chemotherapy.

“It’s coming up for six months now. But she’s a fighter, she’s going to fight it all the way.

“I was devastated when she moved to Australia, but I thought we had time.

“There was Skype and telephones and emails and we’d have time to see each other in the future. Now we don’t have that time.

“The thought of never being able to wrap my arms around her, and the thought of never being able to see her again, I can’t describe that.

“I just want to get out there so I can give her a hug.

“It’s hard to see her hair fall out and getting so unwell.

“I want to get out there before she gets so unwell she can’t get out much or anything.”

A total of £400 was raised through a charity evening held at the Chilli Shak last year. More cash has come in through generous givers on her Facebook page and an online auction is also being held to help bring in further funds.

Michelle said: “There are things costing from £4 up to £50, from USB sticks to signed photographs.

“Leanna has just been amazing. Leanna and I both have ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) which is a debilitating illness which affects my mobility, and we met through a page on Facebook.

“We got chatting and it went from there. She’s been having her own issues but she’s been there with me right through it all.”

Visit www.facebook.com/ASW14 to find out more about the appeal and you can also visit www.gofundme.com/ebtxr4 .to help the cause or donate online.