A PARTYGIRL who liked to top up her tan on sunbeds has died after battling skin cancer for two years.

Alexandra Lines, 22, a talented music student, was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma in 2003.

But despite doctors cutting it out, it was too late to save her and the cancer spread to her brain.

Yesterday, Alexandra's family and Cancer Research UK warned of the dangers of sunbathing.

They urged young people to seek medical advice quickly if they have a mole on their body that changes shape or colour.

Distraught dad John, 55, said: "The whole family is devastated because you think it can never happen to you and then it does. It shows nobody is exempt.

"Since Alexandra was diagnosed we learnt that people with red hair, blue eyes and who are generally fair-skinned are more prone to contracting skin cancer.

"Our daughter did cover up in the sun because in the past she did get burnt.

"She has also used sunbeds and we don't know if this was a factor."

Last September, Alexandra - known as Alex to her friends - was told there was no cure, but continued to put on a brave face and live life to the full. She loved clubbing with a wide circle of friends and even set up her own website, www.alsphotoshop.com.

It shows hundreds of pictures of the fun-loving teen out and about.

Alex stunned doctors by surviving for three months after being given just days to live.

However, her condition deteriorated and she died on May 14, with her dad and mum Jennifer, 56, at her bedside at the family home in Romford, Essex.

Redbridge College in Essex, where Alex wrote and produced her own songs, plan to release her last piece of music as a charity single to raise awareness of skin cancer.

Her tutor Kevin Anderson said: "If there was a student that you could say set the perfect example, then it was Alex.

"She was an infectious character and all the other students looked up to her. Alex played that song to me and it was the first time in the five years I have been here that I thought, 'This could be a hit'."

Studies by Cancer Research UK in March revealed sunbathing can double the risk of skin cancer.

Ed Young, science and information officer for the charity, said: "Malignant melanoma is one of the very few cancers that affects young people and is the second most common cancer in 15 to 39-year-olds.

"Most cases are caused by over exposure to UV radiation, which you can get while sunbathing or using sunbeds. Fair skinned people are particularly at risk, as are those with lots of moles.

"As sun-worshippers head for the sweltering beach resorts, the warnings about the dangers of harmful UVA rays are stronger than ever."

Young people - aged between 15 and 39 - are most at risk and cases of skin cancer in this age group are expected to treble in the next 30 years unless the culture of sunbathing changes.

Mr Lines said that a history of melanoma in the family may also have contributed to Alex's death.

He added: "I know Alexandra went on sunbeds occasionally, but we would have never let her go on them all the time. This would be very risky and ill-advised.

"I would urge anyone who notices a mole on their body which has changed shape or colour to see a doctor immediately.

"The sooner they can get to the doctor and get it treated, the better chance they have of survival."

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