If you’ve walked past the town hall recently, you may have noticed something different.

The clock at Bridport Town Hall is lit up purple for an important cause – to raise awareness of a devastating disease.

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, and charity Pancreatic Cancer Action’s Turn it Purple campaign calls for businesses and individuals to highlight the fifth deadliest cancer in the UK.

For Carol Kennelly, from Puncknowle, the cause is close to her heart, and so she was determined to turn her village, and Bridport, purple too.

Carol’s niece, Leanne Nicholas, was diagnosed with the disease – which sees 100,000 new cases each year the UK - in March 2015.

Carol said: “She was told she would not see Christmas. She has seen two Christmases since then and is extremely lucky to be alive. She responded reasonably well to the chemotherapy.”

Leanne’s chemotherapy has stopped working and she is now desperately seeking treatment through a clinical trial she hopes will give her more time with her four-year-old daughter, Jess.

Carol said: “It was while I was out promoting Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month that I got the news to say that my niece’s treatment had stopped working and that they need to try to find something else. Pancreatic cancer is one of the worst, if not the worst, types of cancer in terms of outcome. A trial is her only hope of surviving longer – she wants to live long enough for her daughter to remember her.”

Only five per cent of those diagnosed with the disease survive longer than five years, according to Pancreatic Cancer Action.

The Turning It Purple aims to help encourage discussion and raise awareness of the disease which, according to the charity, can directly impact awareness of symptoms and boost GP visits.

Carol said: “Even if it turns out to be nothing, go and see your doctor. It could be nothing but it could be something. It’s much better to check.”

Leanne, who is originally from Dorset but is currently living in Australia with husband Shayne and Jess, is crowdfunding for treatment. As well as the town hall, many homes and businesses in Puncknowle turned purple, including the Crown Inn which held a special fundraising evening.

Visit gofundme.com/leannesfight