TWO brave children facing their first Christmas without their dad have been nominated for a special treat by their nan.

It's been a difficult year for six-year-old Jordan Davies and his nine-year-old sister Jasmine.

Six months ago their dad Leslie died of cancer after a lengthy illness, and the two youngsters have struggled to understand what has happened.

Their mum Sara said: "Three weeks after he died, Jordan said, 'Daddy's been gone long enough now,' and while on a recent family trip to Euro Disney he asked Santa if he could have his dad back for Christmas."

In an attempt to give them a special treat this year, their grandmother Margaret Philipart nominated Jordan and Jasmine to go to the Evening Post's Christmas Cheer party.

Mrs Davies said: "He lived for the kids, even when he was ill. He would be so proud of the children for the way they've handled it. They are doing okay. And he would want them to be happy and enjoy this Christmas and he would be pleased they are going to this party.

"They will enjoy it — keeping smiling is everything. It will make Christmas special.

"They have been really brave, but my little boy still cries himself to sleep at night.

"They are seeing a counsellor from the Christian Lewis Trust, but Jordan likes to speak to his friends because he says they knew his dad and they can understand."

It was back in 2007 that the Pontardawe dad-of-four first started to suffer pains in his hips. After visiting the doctor he was diagnosed with cancer.

He went through rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but, in November 2008 he was told that doctors could do no more to help.

The couple, who had married in 2001, also had two older children together, daughter Alaw, now aged 16 and Ben, now aged 19.

However, they decided to divorce in 1996. But they couldn't stay apart and they reunited before having Jasmine and Jordan.

They had always planned to remarry, but after Mr Davies's health started to rapidly deteriorate while on holiday in Pembrokeshire and he admitted to hospital, they decided to couldn't wait.

They married in Singleton Hospital on April 28 and Mr Davies died less than two weeks later, he was only 40 years old.

Mrs Davies said: "When we found out we cashed in some policies and decided to do what the kids wanted. Jordan and Jasmine love the theatre so we would go to see show in the Grand, in Cardiff and in London when he was feeling well.

"Ben likes motorbikes so his dad went with him to events. We asked them what they wanted.

"It was my daughter Alaw who wanted us to remarry."

But they have been doing everything they can to make sure their dad's memory lives on.

Leave your Lasting Tribute to Leslie

Mr Davies was raised on a farm in Rhyd-y-Fro and the children, with their mum, have planted trees on the nearby mountain where his ashes were scattered.

"It was our favourite spot and so we go up there and have picnics under the trees," Mrs Davies added.

"The children and I talk about him all the time and they talk about him with each other. It's important to them and it's important to me too."

But this will be the family's Christmas without Leslie, and being at home will be a little bit too hard this year, so Mrs Davies and the children will be spending the holidays with her brother.

Mrs Davies said: "It's going to be a massive family thing, it would be too hard at home, so we are making it a bit different — this is the first year we will have been away from the house."

The Christmas Cheer Party will take place in Sainsbury's on November 29.