Thousands of lanterns to line cancer memorial trail

A festive lantern display is set to illuminate a park in Leicester in memory of thousands of people who have died from cancer.

A mile (1.6km) of lights, consisting of more than 5,000 lanterns, will adorn Leicester's Abbey Park on Saturday and Sunday as part of the Stand Up To Cancer campaign.

Each lamp will be made by members of the public, decorated with a tribute and a picture of someone they lost to cancer.

The trail will be launched on Friday by comedian Adam Hills and Mel Schilling from Channel 4's Married at First Sight.

Victoria Turner, 31, attended a workshop at the Highcross in Leicester to make a lantern for her mum, who died from cancer 14 years ago.

She said it was "important" to remember those who had been lost to the disease.

"It's special because we can put our own touch on remembering her. We can put her out there.

"She was our mum and she was special. It's a nice way for all of us to keep her alive," she said.

The lights switch-on will be part of Stand Up To Cancer's annual event, organised by Cancer Research UK and Channel 4.

Veronica Currie, 51, from Perthshire in Scotland, created a lantern in memory of her husband, Willie, who died in 2016.

"He hated having his picture taken, so would not have liked that part of this," she said.

"But, he would have been proud to have been part of something like this that is helping so many people."

Schilling, who stars as an expert on Married at First Sight, said: "Every lantern represents a story, and this is about celebrating a life that a person lived.

"It feels very uplifting and inspiring."

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