A TREE is to be planted in Darlington's South Park in memory of a cancer victim.

Thelma Mills, 40, died of lung cancer in September last year - a day after celebrating her 24th wedding anniversary with her husband Rob, of Geneva Road.

The couple had been childhood sweethearts and had three daughters, Leanne, Suzanne and Caroline, and a son, Robert.

Since his wife's death, Mr Mills and his sister, Barbara Dickinson, have been thinking of a way to treasure her memory.

Mrs Dickinson, of Elmfield Place, Newton Aycliffe, said: "She was a remarkable woman - an absolute saint. She was always there for me and the whole family.

"We wanted to do something in her memory and approached the council about planting a tree."

Darlington Borough Council has agreed to plant a tree in Mrs Mills' memory as part of a tree planting scheme in South Park next year.

Mrs Dickinson said: "We didn't expect the council to do anything, so we were shocked when they said yes. We are so grateful, though."

Instead of putting a plaque on the tree, Mrs Dickinson said the family will tie a yellow ribbon around one of the branches in her sister-in-law's memory and as a tribute to all cancer sufferers in the town.