Mum Kelly Pritchard, whose toddler son died from cancer aged 18 months, has decided to name her unborn daughter Angel-Ray in memory of the brother she will never meet.

Miss Pritchard, 34, and her partner Darren Clark, 32, from Sherston, are expecting the new addition to the family on January 8.

Their son Alfie-Ray died in August, 2012, five months after he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer.

The family mark the day of his death by calling it his angel anniversary.

Miss Pritchard said: “She will never meet her brother but she will know everything about him. We will make sure she knows she had a wonderful big brother who meant the world to us.

“Last Christmas was very difficult for us and I am sure it will be again this year but we will have a house full of people so hopefully we will get through it.

“The Christmas before, Alfie was extremely ill and we were only able to get a couple of pictures of him.

"This year he would have been three and so into Christmas like all children of that age. It really upsets me to think about it.”

But the thought of the new baby is helping her to carry on and she hopes to start fundraising again in memory of her son in 2014 once the new baby is settled.

She had a disappointing turn-out for a fundraising event of stalls and an auction held in Chippenham in September but it has not put her off raising money for Families Against Neuroblastoma.

She believes raising money for the cancer trusts would help parents going through the pain she endured after losing Alfie.

She said: “Alfie was the happiest little boy, always into mischief. He loved baking with his mummy.

“His favourite toy was Tigger; all through his time in hospital he always had Tigger.”

The couple had not planned on having another child after losing Alfie but were delighted when Miss Pritchard became pregnant.