TRIBUTES have been paid to a ‘loyal servant’ of the Lancashire Telegraph who has lost her battle with cancer.

Bridget Duerden, who worked for the newspaper for more than 30 years, was diagnosed with lung cancer in December 2013 and died last week, aged 58.

Keen traveller Mrs Duerden was best known as an energetic advertising representative and manager.

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One of nine siblings, Mrs Duerden, nee Mallett, was born in Northern Ireland but moved to Blackburn when she was a toddler, and attended Mary Mount School in Shadsworth.

She met her husband Barry, a joiner, in 1987. He said: “She was a bubbly person and liked her job.

I’ll remember her smile and sense of humour, and she never had a bad word for anyone.”

Mrs Duerden, mum to Matthew and grandmother to Mason and Tilly-Mae, lived in Daisyfield.

Paul Berry, distribution manager at the Telegraph, said: “I can’t begin to express the admiration I had for Bridget. She was such a strong person and the courage she showed after what must have been an unbelievably tough 11 months was amazing. Bridget was such a popular character in the office, had many friends and was such a loyal servant to this company.”

A requiem mass takes place at St Alban’s Roman Catholic Church in Larkhill at 10.15am on Friday, followed by interment at Pleasington Cemetery.