TRIBUTES have been paid to a brave and selfless teacher who lost her fight against cancer.

A memorial service for Golborne High science teacher and sports fanatic Jo Culkeen , who died at the end of last term, took place in the Parish Church last week.

Teachers, pupils, governors, family and friends attended the celebration of her life.

Jo, 47, was diagnosed terminally ill last year, but kept the seriousness of her illness secret - while helping others suffering from the disease during her own treatment.

A brilliant academic with a PhD, she taught at Golborne from 1980 and became a head of year in 1993.

She played hockey at university and county-level tennis and hockey; she was a squash player and golfer.

Her ashes were scattered on the fifth green at her golf club, where she ended her final game.

School head of mathematics Phil Kennedy said: "Despite knowing her own life was to end shortly, she didn't tell any of her friends until the very end.

"At the time my son was recovering from leukaemia and the accompanying chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant.

'Overjoyed and desperate to share it, who better than with someone who, as I thought, had gone through her own chemotherapy successfully.

"Looking back, it must have been really difficult for Jo to share that happiness with me, but she obviously didn't want to spoil my celebration.

"During the last month she kept on smiling and still did things for others. She attended a dinner party celebrating a friend's recovery from cancer, without mentioning that she herself was not going to recover.

"Her bravery and courage will never be forgotten by those privileged to have known her."

Jo, from St Helens, was taught at Durham University by David Bellamy, and she was herself a keen botanist.

She was also a crossword addict, loved lace making and cooking Indian meals,

She also enjoyed her time as a youth club leader.

A retired deputy head at the school, Avis Freeman, whose lab was next to Jo's said: "We thought she had been cured. Her death is a very sad loss to all at school."

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