TRIBUTES have been made to a former newsagent's wife who lost her battle against cancer this week, aged 57.

Barbara Thompson will be remembered as a true lady who loved to talk to the customers in the shop she and her husband, George, ran in Byerley Road, Shildon.

The couple, of Vicarage Close, Escomb, were looking forward to retirement after closing the shop just over a year ago, until Mrs Thompson was diagnosed with cancer in April.

She died on Wednesday at Stanhope Community Hospital.

Mr Thompson, a former president of the National Federation of Retail Newsagents' North-East district, said: "She loved talking to the customers and she loved delivering the newspapers in Middridge Village.''

A funeral service will be held in the crematorium chapel, Durham, at 1pm on Wednesday. Donations can be made to the Carl Bridgewater Fund in lieu of flowers.