WHILE most mothers were enjoying being pampered and presented with gifts and cards on Sunday, one woman in Fulwood was trying hard not to think about children.

For Stella McMaster, Mother's Day is the worst day of the year, it's the one day she cannot forget the three daughters she has already buried.

Stella and husband Joe, of Greystock Avenue, lost two of their daughters to cancer-related illnesses. The couple blame their deaths on the nuclear industry, an allegation always denied by Joe's former bosses at BNFL Springfields, near Preston, who say there is no current scientific evidence to support their claims.

Joe, now 79, worked at BNFL Springfields from 1951 until his retirement 20 years ago.

In an incident in 1953, he claims he ingested dangerous levels of enriched uranium. According to his medical records, he was exposed to levels of radiation 18 times the level he normally showed.

But Alan Beauchamp, a spokesman for BNFL, denies the levels would have been dangerous. He said: "Records for that period reveal Mr McMaster's exposure was relatively low and would have been less than that received from natural background radiation annually."

The family were also near Sellafield in Cumbria in October 1957 when there was a fire in one of the reactors. Stella, who hails from Bangor, Northern Ireland, said. "I remember sitting on the beach and I saw this big plume of smoke go up and Joe said: 'I hope that isn't what I think it is'."

BNFL deny the fire adversely affected people's health. Mr Beauchamp said: "Independent comprehensive assessments by bodies such as the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB), reveal doses received by people living in the area as a result of the fire were actually lower than people would have received from natural background radiation."

It was after 1957 that the McMasters' daughters became ill. Lynne who was born in 1950, died in 1988 of a pre-leukaemia condition usually found in elderly people; Jill who was born in 1955, died at the age of 18 of acute leukaemia, type unknown.

Another daughter Judith was born six weeks premature in 1958 but survived for only three days. And four years earlier in 1954 Stella lost another child through miscarriage. The couple have one surviving daughter.

Stella, a retired secretary, said: "I only found about what happened to Joe 12 years ago. Before that he would not say anything because of the Official Secrets Act. I had had my suspicions but in the end he had to tell me."

Ribble Valley and Fulwood MP Nigel Evans raised their case in Parliament last year and continues to support them. He said: "There seems to be an enormous injustice. The BNFL should listen with an open mind to their concerns. It is one of the most tragic cases I have dealt with over the past 10 years."

Mr Beauchamp said: "We know the McMasters and the tragic details of their family very well and have met and discussed their concerns with them.

"We have rigorously examined their long standing claim that our operations and Mr McMaster's employment at Springfields has in some way caused the very sad loss of their daughters. However based on current science BNFL believe there is no evidence to support their claims."

Joe claims that all he wants is for a full and frank discussion on TV with people like himself given a chance to have their say and put questions to scientists, doctors and the industry bosses.

It won't bring his children back but it will make it easier for him to live with their deaths.

He said: "This is about Mothering Sunday but what you've got to realise is that it is always an anniversary, a birthday or the date of one of their deaths."