Thank you for helping to pay for my funeral

A STUDENT is appealing for the public’s help after she left a rare 200-year-old violin on a train at Manchester Victoria station.

Poppy Wald-Harding, 18, is studying jazz saxophone at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester and is also a classically trained violinist.

The sixth-form student left the violin on board the 6.42pm Leeds to Manchester Victoria Northern service on Tuesday, which arrived

A YOUNG woman with just weeks to live has a written a heartfelt thankyou to people who have raised money to pay for her funeral.

Suzanne Shipley, 34, couldn’t afford to pay for it herself.

One of her friends began an online appeal and hundreds of people have generously raised a total of £13,335 in less than a week – far surpassing the original £10,000 target.

Suzanne, from Warrington, found out that she was terminally ill last year and was given two weeks to live before Christmas. A GoFundMe fundraising page was established by her friend Jo Tocher – which has been overwhelmed with donations.

Following the target being surpassed, Suzanne wrote a message at 8.05pm. It is a Joseph Strauss violin made in Rothenbach, Germany, in 1804.

Poppy, who also had her saxophone with her at the time, said she was tired from jet-lag when she got off the train, leaving the violin behind in a rack above her seat. Her mum, Hayley Harding, has now posted an appeal on Twitter which has gone viral.

The violin was a gift from a violin teacher and Poppy has been

Suzanne Shipley

which was shared on the page, which said: “Dying is so strange.

“It’s really shown me the true playing it since the age of 11. Rail operator Northern said it hasn’t turned up in lost property and British Transport Police have also been contacted. The train went on to Chester, but the family have had no luck there either.

Poppy said: “It has an awful lot of sentimental value to me and was a precious gift.

“The violin just seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth and I’m hoping to spread the kindness of humanity, but I also think people shouldn’t wait to tell others they care, or for a tragic situation before we show kindness to each other. We should always try to be this way. I sound like I’m preaching, but I include myself in this, I didn’t always tell the people I loved that I cared and I wasn’t always positive and happy all the time.”

Suzanne was diagnosed with type one diabetes when she was 14.

She also suffered from neuropathy and retinopathy and underwent a kidney transplant donated by her mum, Rose. She had her lower leg amputated when she became ill with sepsis three years ago.

Last October, she was told her kidneys had failed and due to other word and get it back.”

The violin was in a black case with stickers on it including a Welsh flag and the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales.

Inside the case was a silver mounted Hofner bow, which was bought in Manchester, and a purple, hand-stitched, velvet blanket with a panda motif on it.

Hayley said: “Poppy is devastated by it all. We are just hoping we can get it back.” health conditions, no other treatment options were available.

Suzanne’s sister, Claire, died from complications from diabetes and her father, Graham, died some years ago.

Her brother, Stephen, went blind from complications from the condition at the age of 19 and died at the age of 31. Her friend, Jo Tocher, 41, wrote on the fundraising page: “Thank you to everyone who has donated so far, you have made a massive difference to Suzanne’s feelings at such a difficult time.”

Jo said that despite Suzanne’s situation she was still trying to help others. “She’s still answering messages and talking to people. She’s amazing,” said Jo.