A YOUNG mother who looked to have beaten a liver-destroying virus has died - two months after her husband was killed by cancer.

Sarah Cockshott, 27, of Cranbrook Avenue, Oswaldtwistle, was told she had just hours to live before an emergency transplant saved her life last Christmas. She battled on - and was reunited with her husband Steve and baby son Dylan early in the New Year.

But Steve, 24, died from lymphoma cancer in August, just a week after being diagnosed with the disease.

Sarah's condition worsened, and a fortnight ago she was airlifted to St James Hospital, Leeds, where she was treated on the same specialist ward where she recovered from her transplant. She died on Monday evening in hospital.

Sarah's parents, Hyndburn councillor Derek Scholes and his wife Pat, were today too upset to talk about the double tragedy which has left the couple's one-year-old son without both his parents. Baby Dylan has been looked after by relatives since his mother was taken ill again. Speaking before her daughter's death, Mrs Scholes said she believed the upset of losing Steve was responsible for the downturn in her daughter's condition. Mrs Scholes said at the time: "Steve's death came completely out of the blue and knocked Sarah sideways."

Sarah, who was a diabetic, worked as a receptionist at the Richmond Medical Centre, Accrington. She had been staying with her parents in Queen's Road, Accrington, following her husband's death.

Coun Scholes' fellow councillors last night expressed their sadness at a full council meeting. Council leader Peter Britcliffe said: "Words cannot adequately express how we feel. All our thoughts are with Coun Scholes and his family."

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