YOUNG Ruby Ross was only three when her mum died from cancer in 2015 but she is determined to keep her memory alive.

The town of Devizes was heartbroken by the death of hairdresser Kelly Ross aged just 32 and now Ruby, eight, is asking people to support a coffee morning she has organised for Saturday.

The Nursteed School pupil has handwritten letters to businesses in the town asking them to donate, tea, coffee, squash, cakes and raffle prizes that will go on sale between 10.30am and 12.30pm at the Parish Rooms in Long Street.

She said: “I want to do the coffee morning to raise money for my mum’s tribute fund at the Royal United Hospital.”

Her proud dad Jamie Ross, 37, said: “It was all her own idea. She said she wanted to do something and has organised everything.

“At just eight she has managed to organise some incredible things including sponsorship for the whole event so it has cost her no money to host.

“She has also got some amazing raffle prizes with over £250 worth of vouchers and gifts, again at no cost. Therefore everything she raises on the day will go directly to cancer care.”

Both Ruby and her younger brother Jack, five, have been helped to overcome the loss of their mother with the support of their close-knit family.

Mr Ross said: “Ruby and Jack both love the Swindon Wildcats Ice hockey team and go regularly with their Aunty Emma, Uncle Mark and cousin Ben.

“Who, along with both sets of grandparents and all of Kelly’s brothers and her sister Mike Wesley, Ashley Rake and Dawn Walker have all been really instrumental in giving the children a normal upbringing.

“Also their aunty Katie Rake runs the Kelly Ross Tribute Fund on Facebook raised thousands for the fund doing various events.

“Kelly’s friends and family have done a lot in her name over the past five years.”

At the time of Kelly’s death in July, 2015 her parents spoke movingly about their beloved daughter. Alan and Helen Rake of Proudman Road, Devizes, were overwhelmed when hundreds of people attended a celebration of her life wearing bright clothes and carrying flowers in jam jars.

Mr Rake said at the time: “It was lovely to see so many people who all cared about Kelly. It is a huge support to the family to know how much people cared and shared in our loss.

“She was a wonderful person. There wasn’t a bad bone in her body.”

Poignantly Jack reached his first birthday in the same week that the thanksgiving service was held. She had been diagnosed with cancer just months before in the April after a long period of pain and weightloss.

Mr Ross said pictures of Kelly fill family homes.He said: “Jack can’t remember his mum but we keep her memory alive.”