THE daughter of an elderly woman who died almost three weeks after being knocked down by a van paid tribute to her "wonderful" mum.

Joyce Wilding, 81, died on Saturday following the accident involving a white Renault Kangoo van in Shakespeare Avenue, Great Harwood, on Monday, January 7.

Police said Mrs Wilding, of Blackburn Road, was crossing Shakespeare Avenue at 5.40pm when she was struck by the van, which had been turning in from Blackburn Road.

She had initially been in a serious but stable condition at the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

But she died as a result of her internal injuries.

Her daughter, Marjorie Swiatczak, of Church Street, said: "This is such a terrible thing to have happened. She was in such good health but her inju-ries were just too severe.

"She had a lot of get up and go in her. I was always telling her to take it easy but she didn't like to sit around doing nothing."

The 48-year-old added: "She was a wonderful woman.

She was really into gardening and spent a lot of time outside with her plants. She did a lot for someone of her age.

"I can't believe she has gone and for her life to be taken in such a terrible way. It has been incredibly hard to come to terms with."

Mrs Wilding was a housewife and had been a widow for the past three years.

She met her husband Ronald while they were both holidaying in the Isle of Wight, and she moved from the Midlands to settle with her husband in Great Harwood. She had one grandchild, Harry.

At the time of the crash a 38-year-old man from the town was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving. The Renault van was seized by police for foren-sic examination.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or who saw the vehicle just before the accident is asked to contact police on 0845 1 25 35 45 or the road policing unit on 01254 353205.