TRIBUTES were paid at the weekend to a Blackburn mother-of-four who lost a long battle with cancer.

St Silas' Church, Preston New Road, was packed with family and friends on Saturday for a memorial service for Marian Motupalli, 46, who died at East Lancashire Hospice on September 16.

Three years ago she was given just 48 hours to live after being diagnosed with an ovarian tumour.

But she embarked on a determined quest to live her life to the full, even visiting specialists in New York in a bid to prolong the time she had with her family.

Marian also compiled a diary DVD as an aid for patients newly diagnosed with cancer, with the help of Blackburn College students.

At the service, her husband, Murthy, urged those who knew her to remember her kind and generous spirit but spoke of his own loss: "Without her I have found I have lost my right hand."

He paid tribute to "a loving mother, a dedicated wife and a delightful friend".

Favourite hymns and songs from Marian's life, including Moon River, by Frank Sinatra, were heard alongside a Hindu chant and W H Auden's poem 'O Tell Me The Truth About Love'.

The Rev Arthur Ranson, who led the service, said the music and words reflected Marian's ability to bring together people from all different traditions.

Marian herself had summed up her brave struggle against illness with her own motto, Murthy had told the congregation earlier. She would say: "If you cannot fill your life with more days, fill your days with more life."

He also relayed a tribute from Harry Grayson, of East Lancashire Hospice, which read in part: "Marian has inspired patients, staff and volunteers at the hospice. She has shown bravery beyond comprehension. She was a real fighter and even in the last few years of her life she never gave up and did everything she could for her family."

Murthy, a GP in Accrington, also read out a message from their five-year old son, Harry, who described how he missed his mother who "gave the best presents in the world".

Marian, an accomplished pianist and needleworker, also leaves sons Paul, 23, Christopher, 22, and daughter Rebecca, 25.

Donations in her memory, in aid of the hospice and the Ovacome charity, are being collected by L Champ Funeral Service, Clayton-le-Moors.