The life of community stalwart Poppy Tanna was celebrated at her funeral on Thursday.

Poppy, 54, who died of stomach cancer on Friday, July 1, helped establish the PUKAR Disability and Resource Centre, Oakham Court, Preston seven years ago.

She was the centre manager and dedicated her life to helping disabled people, winning numerous awards for her work including the Asian Women of Achievement Award in 2001, a Lancashire Diamond Award in 2003, and a League of Mercy award which she received three weeks before her death.

A plaque will be placed at the centre to commemorate her life

Police escorted the cortege from her Hartington Road home, Preston, to the centre and a wreath of red roses and white lilies was placed on the coffin before a service at Preston Crematorium, Longridge Road, Ribbleton.

Her ashes will be scattered in India, a place Poppy had always wanted to visit.

Poppy, who died at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital, leaves mother, Mukhtaben Popat, and brothers, Ashok and Chandrakant Popat.

She was born in Kenya and was registered disabled after contracting polio as a girl. She was confined to a wheelchair following a car accident in December 1974. Her father, Bachubal, died of lung cancer in 1988.

Ashok said: "After her accident she wanted to make sure people saw her instead of the wheelchair and she's helped other people do that too.

Mehrunisha Patel, the new PUKAR centre manager, said: "What she did should be celebrated rather than mourned.

"She was so strong and committed to her work until the end."

Mayor of Preston, Councillor Bhikhu Patel, said: "I had known her for a number of years, she worked ever so hard. It's very sad news."

Preston MP, Mark Hendrick, said: "She was a hero and overcame her own disabilities to help other people with disabilities."

Faruk Desai chief executive of Preston Racial Equality Council, said: "She gave a voice to the people who had no voice. She was very dedicated to her work."