A young girl whose dad lost a close friend to a brain tumour is starring in a marketing campaign which will raise funds to help find a cure for the disease.

Myla Hall is featuring in this year’s national Wear A Hat Day campaign by the Brain Tumour Research charity in memory of her dad’s close friend, Steve Lloyd.

The four-year-old from Southgate is among a handful of children taking part in Brain Tumour Awareness month in March.

Like Myla, all the children have either been bereaved by a brain tumour, are living with a brain tumour or have a close family member who has been diagnosed.

The kids, aged up to 13, are donning their best headwear from beanies to cowboy hats, trilbies to Panamas, baseball caps to novelty headpieces, and are asking others to join them for Wear A Hat Day 2019.

This year, it takes place on March 29 and marks its 10th year.

Myla’s dad Leon lost close friend and colleague Steve in September 2015. The two met at Transport for London and worked together following their apprenticeships in the early 90’s but their friendship was cut short following Steve’s diagnosis with a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in 2008.

The dad-of-two outlived his prognosis but the tumour was highly aggressive and inoperable, and Steve died aged 40 leaving his wife Angela and daughters Bethany, 12, and Chloe, 10.

Leon, 46, said: “Steve’s diagnosis and death were a terrible blow to all who knew him and myself and other colleagues have been supporting Brain Tumour Research ever since.

“It’s an honour to now have Myla starring in the campaign and she said she is so excited to have her photos taken for Uncle Steve.

“Having lost two close friends to brain tumours I hope by sharing our experience of the disease that we can inspire people to support Wear A Hat Day.

“It’s an easy way to make a difference and every person that joins in will bring us closer to a cure.”