A woman and her partner have experienced "hell on earth" after she was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Chloe Harper, a 32-year-old trainee lawyer from Worthing, first showed signs of a tumour when her speech became slurred and she developed pins and needles in her arm. 

Medics thought it could be a mini-stroke however after an MRI scan, the mum-of-one was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour (called a meningioma), which was about the size of a golf ball in the front part of her brain.

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She has since had surgery and is in recovery.

Her partner Adrian Crist, from Bognor Regis, said the diagnosis was a complete shock for everyone, however they were supported every step of the way by The Brain Tumour Charity.

Adrian said the charity helped Chloe in a number of ways from counselling to advice on the best way to talk to her daughter about what was happening.

It also helped the family deal with practicalities like getting a bus pass after Chloe was told she could not drive for a year.

The couple went through 'hell on earth' with her tumour (Image: Openreach)

To raise awareness of the charity's work, Adrian, an Openreach senior engineer, has since trekked up Ben Nevis in Scotland to raise funds for The Brain Tumour Charity.

Adrian, alongside Openreach patch leads Danny Mortimer and Darren Wisdom, former patch manager Marc Granger, and close friend Sam Goring, hiked three hours to reach the summit of the mountain, which is the tallest in the UK.

The group, based in Chichester and Bognor, raised £860 between them.

Donations can still be made at www.justgiving.com/page/adrian-crist-1694459038033.

Adrian said: "Reaching the top of Ben Nevis in such challenging conditions was pretty tough going – but nothing compared to what Chloe has been through in the past year.

“It was great to have my Openreach colleagues and our friend Sam beside me on the trek.”

Adrian wanted to do the hike to help raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity (Image: Openreach)

Chloe is recovering well since her surgery, with the couple now determined to raise awareness of the charity and the help it can provide to families in need.

Adrian said: “It’s been hell on earth for us, but thankfully Chloe’s brain tumour was benign and she’s now safely through her surgery and recovering well.

“Dealing with a brain tumour diagnosis has a massive impact on your mental health and wellbeing.

Adrian and his team raised over £800 for the charity (Image: Openreach)

"The Brain Tumour Charity really stepped in and supported Chloe, from counselling and advice on the best way to talk to her daughter about what was happening, to practicalities like getting a bus pass.

“Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40 and around 88,000 people are thought to be living with a brain tumour in the UK, but only three per cent of UK cancer research funding is spent on brain tumours.

"The charity only get their funds from donations, so I wanted to do something for them.”