A PENSIONER who battled cancer for two years, but refused treatment so her family did not see her suffer unnecessarily, has lost her fight for life.

"Mum in a Million" Ruth Flood, 83, had 15 children, 37 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren -- and her family today paid tribute to her for putting her life on hold so they could get on with theirs.

Ruth, who lived in Woodside Avenue, Huncoat, moved to East Lancashire with her 15 children after the death of her husband, Jock, in Belfast.

She looked after her children while holding down part-time jobs.

As her children got older, and had children of their own, Ruth -- known locally as 'Ma Flood' -- gave up working to look after her growing army of grandchildren so her daughters could start careers.

Two years ago, Ruth was diagnosed with throat cancer, said her daughter Catherine Hart, of Edgar Street, Huncoat.

She said: "Ma had two sisters and a brother, and had to watch two of them undergo treatment for cancer which didn't do them any good.

"So she refused it. I think she did it so she could enjoy what time she had left and so people around her didn't see her suffer."

In 1998 Ruth, a member of King Street Working Men's Club in Accrington, was a winner of a nationally-organised Mum in a Million competition, beating off 30,000 other nominated mums to the title.

Her children had written to organisers explaining how Ruth had overcome personal setbacks -- including heart attacks, arthritis and pneumonia -- to continue to look after the family.

Catherine added: "She was a wonderful mother. If she was serving up food and someone knocked on the door, there was always a plate for them."

The funeral took place on Friday at St Joseph's Church in Accrington, followed by burial at the town's cemetery.