GRANDMOTHER Linda Marrison has died in Burnley General Hospital after being helped from her home by firefighters on Saturday.

Mrs Marrison, who won a beauty contest at Butlin's in Blackpool in 1967, had been bedridden for 15 years and her weight had increased to 25 stones.

Ambulance crews were unable to get Mrs Marrison, 45, of Hurtley Street, down the stairs and so firefighters were called to remove a back window and lower her to the ground on a turntable ladder.

She was taken to the intensive care unit at Burnley suffering from bronchitis, pneumonia, gangrene and back problems, but she died this morning.

She leaves her husband Phil, children Trevor and Michelle and grandchildren.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.