A TATTOIST in Littleport is hoping to raise hundreds of pounds for the children of a family friend who recently died of leukaemia. Steve Tucker, 40, and his wife Bonny, 35, have been running the Two19Tattoos shop in Main Street, Littleport, since August.

A TATTOIST in Littleport is hoping to raise hundreds of pounds for the children of a family friend who recently died of leukaemia.

Steve Tucker, 40, and his wife Bonny, 35, have been running the Two19Tattoos shop in Main Street, Littleport, since August.

They have been left devastated by the death of their friend Jemma Jenkins, who died at Addenbrookes' Hospital on Tuesday.

The couple plan to donate the takings from a memorial day, which will be held in late November, to Jemma's daughters Amber, four, and two-year-old Scarlett.

Steve said: "I met Jemma a year ago when she came to the tattoo shop and she immediately struck up a strong friendship with my wife. Our families were very close."

He explained that Jemma, who was from Royston, was only diagnosed with leukaemia in August but went on to contract meningitis while undergoing treatment in hospital.

All of Jemma's close friends are planning to have a tattoo, designed by Steve, in honour of her memory.

Steve said: "I want as many people as possible to come and get a tattoo so that we can raise as much as humanly possible for the girls. We are planning to make this an annual event and will hopefully make enough so that we can donate funds to Addenbrookes' too."

Steve and Bonny, who live in Witchford with their three children, were planning to raise money for Jemma as well as the girls before tragedy struck.

Steve said: "This is something we really, really want to do, sooner rather than later now. Something like this really brings it home to you how short life is. You have to grab hold of it while you can."

For more information about Two19Tattoos and the memorial day, call Steve on 01353 862920.

Pic cap: Steve and Bonny are planning to hold a memorial day for friend Jemma.

Photo: HELEN DRAKE

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