A SINGER from Bournemouth diagnosed with a benign brain tumour fears she could lose her hearing in one of her ears.

Helena Mace, who lives in Boscombe Manor, went to the doctors with what she thought was an ear infection last year.

She said she had been suffering with a blocked ear and hearing sounds following a cold but because the symptoms didn’t go away, she decided to see her GP.

As her symptoms were only occurring in her right ear, the doctor referred Helena to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital’s ear nose and throat specialists.

Helena then had two MRI scans in December before being told she actually had a benign brain tumour called acoustic neuroma which goes from her brain to the inner ear.

She said if the tumour gets bigger, she may require radiotherapy or surgery and is undergoing tests to check on her progress.

She said: “With brain surgery, there’s a very high chance I could lose my hearing.”

Helena said that she had been experiencing high-pitched and 'popping' sounds, as well as a noise which sounds like a tap dripping.

“It’s so rare, only one in 100,000 people get diagnosed with them”, Helena said.

She added: "When you hear the words brain and tumour you go cold."

Following her diagnosis, Helena carried out research and discovered Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Danielle Gibbons also had a benign brain tumour along with Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo. Helena got in touch with Danielle and said she had been her inspiration to get on with life as Danielle had returned to football just months after undergoing surgery.

Now Helena, who has been singing in the Bournemouth area for the past 12 years and releases her new single Save it For Another Day on March 15, hopes she may inspire someone else who may have similar symptoms to go to the doctors by raising awareness of the condition.

She said: "There are a lot of people who may have it and not even know."