A BEREAVED teenager has spoken publicly about losing her father to a brain tumour and urged MPs to increase funding so other children do not have to go through the same trauma.

Bethany Lloyd, from Hockley, lost her father Steve in September 2015 - seven years after he was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme brain tumour.

Talking at a reception at Speaker’s House in Westminster, the 14-year-old said: “My sister Chloe and I lost our dad just after his 40th birthday.

“He had worked on the London Underground for all of his career and he retired after his diagnosis to spend time with us and our mum.

“I was five and Chloe was three when dad was first diagnosed so, sadly, we were used to him being poorly and the numerous hospital appointments.

“We did lots of things together as a family, had some nice holidays and we were bridesmaids when mum and dad renewed their wedding vows.”

Bethany’s parents sat her and her sister down to explain that his treatment wasn’t working and his condition was set to deteriorate.

She said: “They didn’t know how quickly it would happen or how, ut they promised to tell us what they knew.

“Lots of people have done fundraising in dad’s memory and it is good to know that he is remembered.

“Last Christmas we told our story as part of a Christmas appeal for the charity Brain Tumour Research.

“Our photos were used on the Underground,so it’s nice to think they would have been seen by some of the many thousands of passengers who dad spent his working life serving.

“No-one wants to grow up without their dad.

“We think there should be more money invested into researching brain tumours so that, one day, there will be a cure.”

Last year a damning report from the Petitions Committee concluded that funding for brain tumour research was inadequate and not given sufficient priority.

According to Brain Tumour Research, just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research was allocated to studies into brain tumours.