A MOTHER-of-two took patrons at a Prestwich pub by surprise after winning her battle with cancer.

Sarah Robinson rang the last orders bell at the Woodthorpe, to mark the end of her gruelling breast cancer treatment.

Usually patients ring a ceremonial bell on hospital cancer wards to celebrate the end of chemotherapy. But Sarah had been unable to mark this milestone because of Covid-19 restrictions, which had put the practice on ice.

So when Sarah, 49, recently enjoyed a pub meal at the Joseph Holt pub after completing a Race for Life 3K run in nearby Heaton Park, landlady Gaynor Hindley suggested she step behind the bar and give the last orders bell a ring.

Sarah said: “I had to chuckle, everyone in the pub looked round and though they were being told to drink up since it was only 2pm. But it was a lovely feeling to ring the bell in this way - though more importantly to feel I was marking the end of treatment.

“I’ve done Race for Life for 10 years because so many of our family had been affected by cancer and I wanted to help raise funds. I never expected cancer to affect me, so there were a few tearful moments when it did.

“But I was so determined to do so, not least to say ‘thank you’ to all the wonderful doctors and nurses who looked after me during treatment.”

Sarah’s son, Philip added: “It was just really nice and so spontaneous. It made us all feel we can look to the future.”

Josh Halliday, pun assistant manager, said: “This was a cause that was really close to all our hearts and since Sarah missed out on ringing the bell at The Christie we really wanted to help her mark this wonderful achievement.”