A TALENTED Kidderminster mum has written and illustrated her own book, inspired by her late mum and brave son.

Jo Harrigan's self-published book, entitled A view from a cherry tree, when I was only three, charts her childhood growing up on Hoarstone Farm in Bewdley.

It was initially inspired by the life of her mum, Sue Healey, who died aged 80 from an aggressive form of bowel cancer in 2018.

But it was when her son Aidan, who has Downs Syndrome, was diagnosed with leukaemia during lockdown that she found both time and further inspiration for her work.

Jo, aged 54 of Heathfield Crescent, said: "I wrote it a while ago, and then lockdown happened so I decided to self-publish.

"During lockdown Aidan was diagnosed with leukaemia, meaning lengthy chemotherapy treatments in hospital - we spent a lot of time waiting at the hospital, so that was when I did many of the illustrations.

"We were in hospital with him for six weeks and had to isolate, so I did a lot of the drawing to help me keep sane.

"My mum was the first inspiration, then what happened to Aidan proved to be a double inspiration."

Aidan faces two more years of treatment but is currently doing well and is on 'maintenance' treatment.

Jo is donating ten per cent of the proceeds from sales of the book to the charity Cure Leukaemia UK.

To buy a copy, message Jo via her Facebook page, appledownArt.