The father of a Haworth teenager who died from breast cancer has been touched by the kindness of people who helped raise £10,000 for her memorial fund.

Nineteen-year-old Sarah McKie (pictured opposite) died in June - less than a year after discovering she had the disease which also killed her grandmother and great-grandmother. She is one of the youngest ever breast cancer victims.

Kind-hearted people from across the region have already dug deep and helped get the newly formed Sarah McKie Memorial Fund off to a flying start, with more than £10,000 being raised in just four weeks.

The charity was officially launched by Yorkshire Co-operatives Limited and Airedale Hospital at Valley Parade Football Ground on November 17.

Her father, Malcolm McKie, said people's generosity had been boosted by Sarah's personality.

"A lot of people who have raised money were people who had met Sarah or remembered her from hospital," he said.

"I think Sarah impressed people because although she was so young, she was so positive about everything.

"When people saw her they commented on how well she coped with everything and how she acted. She certainly impressed me, and when her mother was ill I used to get strength from her. She just kept everyone else going as well as herself."

He said that nowadays people were generally more aware of breast cancer and how it could touch their lives.

"Until it came to our family, it was never something that interested me," said Mr McKie. "But the fact that a young person can get this horrible, indiscriminate disease has made people think 'it could be my daughter.'

"It is touching that people care so much, and if the money helps just one person then it is one family that hasn't had to go through what we have."

During the final months of her life, Sarah worked tirelessly to raise money for cancer care facilities at Airedale Hospital where she was treated. The charity set up in her name is aiming to continue where she left off.

Kathryn Dyer, secretary to the Cancer Support Team at Airedale Hospital, said: "We are all absolutely thrilled and amazed at the donations we have received so far. Sarah's story has really moved a lot of people, not just from the immediate Keighley area but from across the region.

"We've received a number of very generous cash donations but also lots of offers from people wanting to organise their own fundraising events in Sarah's memory.

"One nine-year-old boy has had his hair shaved off, a lady from Otley is organising a Harry Potter readathon, another lady in Embsay is organising a concert and Ilkley Grammar School and Ermysted's Grammar School in Skipton have also pledged donations - that's just a few of the events planned so far."

Yorkshire Co-operatives chief executive Peter Marks said: "£10,000 raised in just four weeks is a fantastic start to the charity. Let's keep it up and see if we can beat the £100,000 target we've set ."

Anyone wishing to make a donation or organise a fundraising event should contact Kathryn Dyer on 01535 292758.