A Tipton woman who is raising money for Alzheimer’s research has roped in the East Devon MP to help at a knitting-themed coffee morning.

Hugo Swire read about Jo Earlam’s campaign, ‘Say Darn to Dementia’, and got in touch to see if he could lend a hand.

Jo, who is also attempting to run 50 marathons before she is 50, asked if he would come along to her coffee morning next Saturday, where people are being asked to bring along knitted scarves and jumpers to help raise cash for dementia research.

Her own father was recently diagnosed with dementia, and both her grandparents died from the brain disease.

Jo recently ran the London Marathon for South West Alzheimer’s charity BRACE, and has o far raised �1,000

Mr Swire said: “There can hardly be a family in this County who have not been affected by Alzheimer’s.

“I am hugely supportive of any efforts made to research this hideous condition which blights so many people’s lives.”

Jo said the coffee morning, at Tipton St John Community Hall from 10am to 12.30pm, was open to anyone who wanted to support Alzheimer’s research.

She said: “It would be great if we can get as many people along as possible. There’ll be tea, coffee and cakes, and of course a lot of local knitting.”