GEORGIE Blackburn, daughter of the last woman to be hanged in England, has died aged 50 after a long battle with cancer.

Mrs Blackburn, of Beverley, East Yorkshire, was the daughter of nightclub hostess Ruth Ellis, who was hanged in July, 1955, for the murder of her lover, David Blakely.

Mrs Blackburn was married to former York Unicorns rugby player Mike Blackburn.

She had fought for more than a year to conquer cancer, which began in her bladder and spread to other parts of her body.

She had been campaigning with her aunt, Muriel Jakubait, who lives in London, to get her mother's case reopened.

Mr Blackburn spoke of his disappointment that she would not see the campaign to clear her mother's name reach the Court of Appeal next year.

He said: "It is an awful shame that she will not see it, although it will still be seen through by her mother's sister.

"It is so sad as she had so much to live for, and we will all miss her terribly."

Mr Blackburn said the funeral arrangements had not yet been confirmed but were expected to be in Cheshire, where she spent most of her life, at the end of the week.

Mrs Blackburn was a mother of six children and had three grandchildren.

Updated: 12:16 Monday, December 03, 2001