A TIRELESS voluntary worker died after contracting a deadly form of meningitis - just 12 hours after complaining of earache.

Alice Belcher, 77, of Tunstead Crescent, Stacksteads, fell ill after going to Manchester to watch her granddaughter's boyfriend, Tom Aspin, in panto.

On her return she prompted her husband, Jack, to contact the doctor about her earache.

She was taken to Burnley General Hospital at 9pm where she was given scans and antibiotics before she tragically died at 2.20am.

Alice, who worked as a dinner lady at Fearns High School for many years, was a tireless voluntary worker.

She was a founder member of Bacup Ladies' Guild, a committee member on various Scout and Guide groups, fought in the campaign to keep Bacup's AB and D Centre open after the council threatened it with closure and was a committee member of Western Youth Club for 30 years.

She also regularly helped with the Meals on Wheels service, ran the tea bar at Bacup Amateur Operatics Society and wasan active member at keep fit classes in Bacup. Daughter Judith, of Fernhill Avenue, Stacksteads, said today: "We found out mum didn't have the contagious strain of meningitis, it was a bacterial virus in the body that can't be passed on. People get vaccinated against this at 80 years old but we are going to make sure dad has it now."

She added: "Everybody who tried to help mum did their best, in fact they couldn't have done anymore."

Alice's son, Jim, flew back to Rossendale from his home in Detroit when he heard about her illness.

He said: "Mum is never ill, so when I spoke to Roger and he said she was not well at all, I got the first flight.

"When she went to bed after the panto, we think she must have taken a turn for the worse.

"She died quickly and that's the only good thing about it. She would have hated to have been ill, she wanted to live forever. She had so much to give, she was tireless in everything she did and was always so optimistic.

"She was a real family woman but her friends didn't come second best, she had time for everybody, no matter what colour, race or creed. She just loved people."

Judith added: "She started going abroad to visit Jim. She made friends whenever she went. In fact a lot of the time she knew more about the people in America than Jim did."

Alice celebrated her golden wedding at Holy Trinity Church in Stacksteads, where she was a parishioner and volunteer, last September.

The funeral will take place at Holy Trinity on Thursday at 10.30am with services also being held at St James' and St Joseph's, Stacksteads, in her memory.

Alice, leaves her three children, Judith, Jim and Roger, and her grandchildren, Rachel, Katie and Joe.

The family have requested family flowers only and donations to the Meningitis Trust.