A FAMILY plans to remember a courageous Accrington mum-of-five by lighting a candle in her memory over Christmas dinner.

Justine Hargreaves’ children face their first Christmas without their mother after she lost her battle against cancer in October.

Now Justine’s sister Jannine is planning to create a Christmas dinner like their mum used to make for Jade, 17, Sam, 10, Nathaniel, nine and six-year-old twins Coral and Crystal.

Following Justine’s death and the death of her partner Stuart four years ago, Jannine is raising her nephews and nieces with her partner Shaun Richardson and their own two children Lloyd, 12, and Lacey, two.

The family will be joined on Christmas Day by Justine’s mum Eileen as the family prepares to remember her in their own way.

At their Accrington home they plan to light a candle for Justine, along with two candles for the children’s father Stuart and Justine’s late father Gordon Hargreaves.

The family are attending a candlelight service at Great Harwood Spiritualist Church where they will light candles for their loved ones, then bring them home to be re-lit on Christmas day.

Eileen Hargreaves said Justine liked to set a place at the table on Christmas for Stuart and Gordon and it became a family tradition.

She said: “The family is so big now we can’t set a place for them so we are lighting candles at the table for them instead.

"We would always light a candle for grandad and for Stuart at the table and we are going to do the same for Justine this year.

“Christmas will be difficult but what gives you hope is how amazingly kind people have been.

“I think that is down to Justine and how she handled things.

"She made sure they knew what was happening, what to expect and they are being well looked after now”

Justine’s sister Jannine said she was looking forward to the traditional Christmas her sister always loved.

She said: “I have always been with the children on Christmas Day anyway as I wanted to watch them open their presents.

“It will be my cooking this year, not Justine’s so I hope I can do it as well as she always did.

"I’m not used to cooking for so many so it will be a busy day.”

l Meanwhile, friends have started fundraising to buy the new extended family a minibus.

The family hope to find a second-hand mini-bus in good condition for around £5,000.

Anyone who can help is asked to contact Mo Collins on 01254 237803 or to visit the Help Justine page on Facebook.