SHE was devastated when her twin brother died from a brain tumour just five months after his condition was diagnosed.

Now Hampshire mother-of-three Sophie Baxter has taken part in a month-long fundraising challenge held to help find a cure for the condition.

Sophie, of Calmore, is still struggling to come to terms with the death last November of 31-year-old Alex Clarke.

The two were very close and Alex was a doting uncle to her three children - Scarlett, 12, Sapphire, six, and two-year-old Tommy.

Sophie said: "We were always known as the boy/girl twins when we were at Marchwood infants and juniors. It feels like half of me is missing."

Alex was diagnosed in May last year after vomiting for two weeks and losing two stone in the same period. He also developed a limp, which made doctors think he had suffered a stroke. But a scan revealed he was suffering from glioblastoma multiforme.

Sophie said: "We knew University Hospital Southampton was the best of the best so we felt comforted that he was in good hands.

"But it turned out the tumour was inoperable and Alex only managed two weeks of radiotherapy. It was devastating to be told there was nothing that could be done to save him."

By June Alex was in a wheelchair, unable to walk. He gradually lost the use of his left side as the tumour took hold.

Sophie added: “It was horrific to watch him diminishing before our eyes."

Six months after losing her beloved twin, Sophie took part in Jog 26 Miles in May, a national event held to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research.

Sophie said: “The kids joined me in honour of their uncle Alex so we did a mixture of running and walking, along with my husband Stu. Even little Tommy took part although we had to pick him up and carry him when he got tired.

“I'm so grateful to everyone who donated and proud we managed to raise more than £300.

"We need to find better treatments and ultimately a cure so families don’t have to be told in the future there's nothing that can be done for their loved ones.”

Melanie Tiley, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, added: "We were so very sorry to learn about Alex’s diagnosis and subsequent loss just five months later.

“What Sophie and her children did in memory of Alex was really inspirational."