Former BBC North West presenter Beccy Barr diagnosed with incurable cancer

Beccy Barr from Lancaster has been diagnosed with incurable cancer.

The single mum in her early forties announced the sad news on her Twitter feed on Christmas Eve.

She said: “Earlier this year I was diagnosed with incurable cancer.

“Two lessons I’ve learned from this distinctly sub-optimal experience:

1) Life is wild.

2) People have an utterly astounding and boundless capacity for love, care and friendship."

Many of her followers were quick to offer their support, with one saying ‘So very sorry to hear this, never stop believing in miracles’, while another added to ‘never ever give up hope’.

She originally joined BBC North West Tonight as a presenter and reporter back in March 2013 having spent five years presenting financial news at CNBC in London.

Previously, she was in New York as a reporter with the Bloomberg financial news organisation.

She began her career in print journalism as a reporter for The Blackpool Citizen before moving to London to join trade paper Money Marketing.

Alongside her role on North West Tonight, Barr has had stints presenting BBC Radio Lancashire’s breakfast programme, as well as covering business news for BBC Radio 5 Live, presenting Sunday Politics North West and reporting for BBC Inside Out.

After nearly 20 years in journalism, she decided to follow in her father Roy’s footsteps and joined Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service in September 2019, admitting she was both 'excited and terrified’.