WHEN friends of Carol Shand found out she only had two years left to live they decided to help fulfil her dream of going on a Caribbean cruise.

And the bubbly Grange Park mum is now over the moon after she was presented with the tickets for the cruise, which leaves on November 4.

Carol, 41, was given the tickets at First Choice Travel, in Canal Walk, by manager Ruth Mullen during a fun day staff at the shop held in her honour.

"It was lovely being given them," she said.

"Absolutely brilliant. I just wanted to start doing the foxtrot and I have been grinning like a Cheshire cat ever since.

"It was so nice of them all to take the time to raise money.

"Everyone who has helped to raise the money has been wonderful and everyone has said how it has brought everyone together.

"It is lovely and I am so pleased and grateful for everything they have all done.

"I'm just gobsmacked."

Carol was diagnosed with cancer in May, having already beaten the disease once, and was told she had two years to live.

It had spread to her lungs, bones and spine.

She said: "When I was first told I was numb. I cried a bit, and got a bit angry. But I just said get a grip Carol' and told myself that I'm not a quitter. I thought, I've had a good life, I've done a lot of great things."

In 2000 Carol was first diagnosed with breast cancer.

In May she was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer, and it has spread so far that doctors say they cannot treat it.

Ms Mullen said that everyone at the store had enjoyed the day.

"Carol is a great woman, she is absolutely amazing," she said.

"We first got involved when someone on work experience starting inquiring about the cost of cruises for a friend and it went from there.

"She didn't know but we'd also been raising some spending money for her and we were able to present her with £200 worth of travellers cheques for her to spend onboard and have a good time with. She really deserves it."