A chill, ill-wind blew good fortune for an Exeter in-door festival celebrating a young city woman's amazing recovery from cancer.
While the wind and rain kept beaches empty, crowds turned out to the all-day Gemfest at the Exeter Phoenix raising money for The Brain Tumour Charity and Hospiscare.
The event started as a surprise 30th birthday party organised by organised by her friends and family of Gemma Wensley .
Gemma has an inoperable brainstem tumour and in 2010 the condition was deemed terminal and she was looking at a matter of months to live.
She retired from her job as a staff nurse at the RD&E and prepared for the inevitable.
But Gemma has made a miraculous recovery and four years on she is still living life to the full.
Gemma and her good friend and fellow organiser Susan Luscombe came up with the idea of making Gemfest, the first of which was held last year and raised over £5,000 for The Brain Tumour Charity.
This year Gemma said they were well on their way to beat that total.
Speaking shortly after the show started, Gemma said: "So far so good – I suppose we have been lucky with the weather, and the turn out so far has been really good.
"We are expecting lots of families during the day and then more for this evening's entertainment with live bands till late."
Gemma, a former pupil at Exeter College added: We just want everyone to come an enjoy themselves for what is a very good cause."
