MOURNERS arrived in bright colours to celebrate the life of a woman who fought cancer for five years.

Before her death last week, grandmother Sandy Richardson, 53, asked friends and family to be in the pink at her funeral.

The businesswoman lost her battle with cancer last week. She called on women to wear elaborate hats at her funeral and for men wear pink ties to promote breast cancer awareness.

Mother-of-three Mrs Richardson died on Wednesday after defying doctors who gave her only weeks to live in 2000.

While going to great lengths to fight the illness - including travelling to Mexico for treatment - she worked tirelessly to raise awareness about breast cancer.

Before the funeral, at Acklam Cemetery, her husband, Colin, said her life should be celebrated.

"She wanted the men to wear pink ties and the ladies nice hats, and the women can wear pink dresses if they want, too. It's all to raise breast cancer awareness.

"She didn't like black and she didn't like funerals that were sombre."

Mrs Richardson was known across the North-East for her work with Business Link Tees Valley.