THE family of tragic cancer patient Phoebe Morley today revealed how they struggled through Christmas and said they are still short of cash for a gravestone.

The Blackburn pensioner died after being diagnosed with terminal cancer of the bowel and kidney at the Florida Hospital in Kissimmee.

The 76-year-old failed to declare she had been diagnosed with gallstones at Blackburn Royal Infirmary before she flew out on her two-week holiday to Florida, prompting her insurance company to refuse to pay for her treatment.

An anonymous American charity stepped in with a £110,000 donation to help save the family from financial ruin.

And the Ewood pensioner was flown back to England by a specially chartered Air Ambulance paid for by Prince Aziz of Brunei, after he heard of her plight. She was transferred straight to Blackburn Royal Infirmary, where she died in August.

But medical bills from doctors, anaesthetists and specialists amounting to £20,000 are continuing to drop through her husband's letter box. The bills range from £1,000 to £4,000.

This means that the family can not afford a headstone for Phoebe's grave at Pleasington cemetery.

Daughter Sue Wilson of Pendle Drive, Blackburn, said: "It is so distressing to think that she is buried with only a number to account for her life. We have picked one out but there is just no money spare. Christmas has been a very hard time and the family has just had to pull together as a unit.

"There are nine doctors who are queuing to be paid but despite taking out a loan, we do not know how we will manage."

Phoebe's husband Peter has now shelved plans to sell off his house to help pay the debts but is said to be "struggling to cope".

Sue added: "He is not coping very well because there always seems to be something else. New Year will be the worst though as we always used to ring her at midnight.

"It is so hard when someone has played such a huge part in your life and then it is all gone. We are just trying to take one day at a time."