A ball and a family fun day are being held in memory of a 35-year-old mum-of-two who died from bowel cancer last year.

Libby Holliday, who was married to James and had two children – five-year-old Harry and Jack, aged three – died on September 1, just a few months after being diagnosed with the illness.

Libby’s family and friends are now throwing a fundraising event in her honour to raise money for the three charities she was keen for people to support.

Libby, who was a huge horse riding fan, ran Equicraft tack shop in Backwell with her sister Jane.

She attended Flax Bourton Primary School and Backwell School and was known by many in the village.

Her parents, Charlie and Margaret Atherton, own Backwell Motors.

The Libby Holliday Memorial Ball will be held in the garden of Libby’s family home in Post Office Lane, Flax Bourton and her friends and family have been overwhelmed with the amount of prizes which have been donated for a silent auction and tombola at the event.

Her friends said: “We’ve just had so many amazing local companies sponsoring and giving donations and supporting us. It’s been phenomenal the amount of support we’ve had from local businesses.

“We just really want to fulfil her wishes by fundraising for these three charities and to keep her name going. These charities are the ones that people made donations for at her funeral.”

All the tickets are sold out for the ball on Saturday, which will include a three course-meal, performances from three bands, an auction and a tombola.

On Sunday, Libby’s friends are being invited to take a picnic along to the grounds from 2.30pm to enjoy a family fun day with Nutty Noah and ladies from Rainbow Preschool who will be putting on children’s games.

A raffle will be drawn on the day and tickets for this can be bought from Backwell Motors and Equicraft, which are both in Station Road.

The money raised on the day will go towards Above and Beyond, St Peter’s Hospice and the Little Princess Trust.

Organisers would like to thank all the businesses which have donated prizes for the event.