A DARWEN mother who started a new life on the Costa del Sol has died just days before returning home for a 50th birthday party.

Barbara Ainscough fell ill and collapsed on her birthday and never made it home for the party, being organised by her two sons.

Today her colleagues in the district of Arroyo de la Miel, where she worked, called her a "truly remarkable woman".

Barbara moved to the resort, popular with expatriates, seven years ago with her husband Michael.

The local newspaper where Barbara was marketing manager wrote a full-page obituary, referring to the community's great loss.

Michel Houston, owner of The Euro Weekly News, wrote of Barbara's outstanding qualities, her love of Spain, its culture, its people and how she had integrated into the Spanish community. Barbara was due to fly to Liverpool where she would meet her sons, Damian, of Clayton-le-Moors and Simon, of Sabden, and her granddaughter Megan.

With her husband, who worked in construction on the Costa del Sol, she was to attend a joint birthday party being thrown for her and her father, Cyril, of Darwen, who was 90 a day earlier. But Barbara fell ill and never made it to the airport. She was diagnosed with cerebral aneurisms and rushed into hospital.

She underwent an operation in Malaga but never regained consciousness after two days and died on August 16.

Mrs Houston, originally from Rochdale, said: "To say Barbara's family, friends and colleagues are shocked is an understatement because we are still reeling from her death and the brutal way she has been snatched away.

"The incredible number of letters and calls from her clients show that they, too, cannot take in what has happened.

"She was, without a doubt, a rare and cherished member of our staff. A northern lass, she was hardworking, determined, unaffected."

Barbara was buried after a funeral service at the New Methodist Church, Darwen.