FRIENDS of a Ledbury mother of three who died of cancer are invited to a fund-raising event in her memory.

Mrs Pauline Lea was almost 41 when she died of liver cancer, in 1996, leaving behind three young daughters.

She had battled breast cancer successfully from the age of 35; and now her eldest daughter, Paula, is approaching that same age, she wants to use the occasion to celebrate her mother's life and to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Care charity at the same time.

Miss Lea said: "My mom was very well-known in Ledbury; such an outgoing person, and a member of the darts team at the Seven Stars. She was a really popular lady, and born and bred in Ledbury."

Tragically, she overcome breast cancer only to succumb to another form of the disease, at a time when her two twin daughters, Sasha and Tania, were only ten.

The three daughters are now pulling together to organise the party, which will take place at Miss Lea's home in Cheltenham on July 5, from 5pm.

Miss Lea hopes that many people will attend, not least because she herself attended both Ledbury Primary and the John Masefield High School, while the family lived locally at Oatleys Road, Oatleys Terrace, Lawnside Road and Belle Orchard.

Her mother, who is buried in the town's cemetery, off New Street, held down a number of jobs, including with Ledbury Preserves off the Little Marcle Road, the location of the present-day UBL cider plant.

The sisters have been going round local shops and businesses locally, in a bid to obtain items for a fund-raising raffle, but with little success so far.

To date, only the Full Pitcher pub, off New Street, has provided a £10 voucher for a meal.

Anyone wishing to attend the party, or wishing to donate an item for the raffle, should contact Miss Lea on 07947988182.