Cheryl gives rare interview about late friend Sarah Harding saying they 'laughed and cried' during last days together

Cheryl Tweedy has spoken out about some of the last days she spent with Sarah Harding before her tragic death. She has said in a new interview she wants to remember Sarah before her breast cancer diagnosis, rather than when she was experiencing her "darkest of days and nights."

Sarah, who shot to fame alongside Cheryl in Girls Aloud in the earlier noughties, died aged 39 last September after revealing she had breast cancer which had spread to other parts of her body. Her bandmates shared their own tributes in the days following Sarah's death.

It was her mother, Marie, who announced her daughter's death on Instagram, describing her 'beautiful' daughter as 'a bright, shining star'.

READ MORE: Ashley Cain emotionally shares how he spent birthday at daughter's resting place on ITV GMB

It has now been announced that the remaining former members of Girls Aloud are to host a fundraising gala for cancer research next month in honour of their late bandmate. The Primrose Ball will be held at The Londoner hotel in central London on October 8, with performances from the likes of Olly Alexander and a live auction which includes an original canvas depicting the pop star by artistic duo the Connor Brothers.

The charity gala will raise funds for the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, based in Withington, Manchester, and Cancer Research UK, as part of the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal.

Following the news of the charity event, in a piece for British Vogue, Cheryl revealed that Sarah, who grew up in Stockport, had hoped to attend the event in person before her death. "I asked her over and over again how we could help," Cheryl said in the publication. "Was there anything she truly wanted or needed?

"Finally she said to me: ‘I would love