DEVOTED wife and mother Diane Shipley has died from cancer at the age of 41.

To the many people who attended Diane's 40th birthday celebration just over a year ago, the unfolding tragedy was scarcely believable.

At that time she was her usual vibrant self, surrounded by friends and family. Within months she had fallen ill and was later diagnosed with cancer. She battled through months of pain and discomfort before passing away peacefully at York District Hospital on Friday.

Diane was one of five children born to John and Ann Taylor in Norton. She is survived by her brothers and sisters, Richard, Frank, Stuart and Susan.

Mr and Mrs Taylor, who still live in Norton, said: "Diane had a wide circle of friends and was very well liked. She was a wonderful daughter and mother. She will be sadly missed."

Diane attended Norton County School before going to work at the Boots store in Malton.

She left to work in Spain for two years before joining the staff of a cruise ship sailing around the Greek islands.

On her return to England, she began working for the Top Trader newspaper in Scarborough. She then joined the supplements team at the Evening Press, where she met her future husband, Barrie.

The couple set up home in York Road, Haxby, and Diane left the company 11 years ago to start a family. She leaves three children, Chloe, ten, Kirstie, eight, and James, six, who all attend Ralph Butterfield School in Haxby.

Diane had a great love of the theatre and appeared in several pantomimes in Malton.

She passed on this love of the theatre to her daughters, who both attend the Kirkham Henry School for Peforming Arts in Malton, and have also appeared in the town's pantomime.

Chloe has also appeared in Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat and Carousel at the Grand Opera House in York.

Barrie said: "Diane was the best thing that ever happened to me. We had 13 years together without a wrong word. She was a devoted mother who hero-worshipped her children, and they similarly worshipped her.

"I have never known anyone who had so many friends. She was a great letter writer and received letters from all over the world.

"She was so brave. Her dying wish was that she just wanted her friends to come to the hospital and say goodbye, but unfortunately she wasn't strong enough to see them."

The funeral, which has still to be arranged, will be held in Haxby.

Updated: 11:39 Monday, August 20, 2001