A 19-year-old mum has died of pancreatic shock, leaving behind her baby and a devastated family.

“Bubbly” Kelsey Baldwin Carter died at the Royal Blackburn Hospital where she had been treated for a month after falling ill.

Kelsey, who lived with her partner Adam Carter and five-month-old daughter Jessica in Grafton Court, Darwen, was a “perfect mother” her family said.

Mr Carter, a social worker for Blackburn with Darwen Council, added: “I thought we were going to be together forever.

“We were so happy and especially since Jessica was born I thought our life was perfect. She was a great mum and a wonderful person.”

Sister Gemma, 22, said: “It has been such a shock. She was so young none of us can believe this has happened.”

Kelsey leaves her father, Michael, mother Marie and stepfather Gary.

She also leaves brothers Michael, 16, Owen, nine, Joshua, five, and Malakai, five.

Her family, who live in Barley Bank Street, Darwen, said that she had been taken ill last month and was being treated in Royal Blackburn Hospital for four weeks before her condition suddenly deteriorated.

Her family have been told her cause of death was due to pancreatic shock.

Kelsey’s funeral is being organised as a celebration of her life and will take place at Trinity Church, Sandy Lane, Lower Darwen, on Friday.

Her family are asking people to wear bright colours and are even planning to set up a speaker system for people who cannot gain entry to the church because they are expecting so many people.

Gemma said: “Kelsey was so popular and we are expecting hundreds of people to the funeral.

“She was a special person because no-one ever had a bad thing to say about her.

"Everywhere she went she made friends and she was very well known in Darwen.”

Her sister said that Kelsey, a former Darwen Moorland pupil and Blackburn College student, will be remembered by her family as a “devoted mother”.

She added: “Being a mother and looking after Jessica came so naturally.

"It is such a tragedy that such a little baby will now be left without her mum but Adam is doing a great job and our family will always be there to help.

“Kelsey was devoted to Jessica and Adam and she couldn’t have been happier. She told us that her life was perfect.”

Kelsey worked as a clerical operator at Capita in Darwen for the past two years since leaving college.

Her family said they are now compiling a memory box full of photographs of Kelsey for Jessica when she is older.

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