Thatcham twins sing with Kylie Minogue

Girls moving video singing to their dying mother went viral earlier this year

A heartbreaking video of Thatcham twins Lauren and Sophie Cripps singing the Kylie Minogue hit Dancing to their dying mother as they held her hand went viral in February this year.

And last night (Sunday), in a touching moment, the girls got to sing with the Australian superstar in a surprise backstage performance before her concert at Blenheim Palace.

Alex Cripps was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2014 after experiencing worsening headaches.

Eventually a “tangerine-sized mass” was detected and she underwent three operations, as well as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

She died on January 10, aged 40.

The day before, her husband and Lauren and Sophie's father, Lee Cripps, had recorded the video - which he describes as a "moment in time that he wanted captured."

Mr Cripps said that the family were Kylie fans and that the lyrics of the song ‘when I go out, I want to go out dancing’ were poignant as they had two meanings for his dance-loving wife and what she was experiencing.

The family had booked to see Kylie perform at Blenheim as a treat for Mr Cripps' parents. Mr Cripps said that at the time of booking the family "didn't know Alex only had two weeks to live."

After posting the video that went viral, Mr Cripps was contacted by Kylie's management company, who organised for his girls to meet their mother's pop idol.

Keeping the meeting a surprise, Mr Cripps told NewburyToday that the event had been a "really magical moment."

He said: "It just felt so natural and even afterwards it didn't feel rushed. It felt as if we were there for however long we needed to be there.

"We said goodbye and Kylie called me back and gave me a proper hug and said 'I'm really sorry to hear about your wife. I hope this gives the girls a good memory.'"

Donations can be made to the Alex Cripps fund here.

Pick up a copy of Thursday's Newbury Weekly News for the full article.