DANIEL Readshaw had no doubt who to vote for when it came to a competition to find the country's number one mother.

For the youngster - who has seen his mum Marie forced to deal with the tragic death of his 13-year-old sister - knew how richly she deserved such an accolade.

His entry also explained that she is also helping his nine-year-old sister Catherine battle against leukaemia.

Mrs Readshaw was chosen from hundreds of entries at the Thinford Inn Brewers Fayre restaurant, near Spennymoor, County Durham, as its Mum of the Year. Her name will now go forward to the chain's national finals to find the UK's number one mother.

Mrs Readshaw's daughter, Ann-Marie, died suddenly in Spennymoor Leisure Centre in 2001.

Daniel clinched the restaurant's award with his entry which said: "My mum had five children. Anne-Marie died in September 2001, aged 13, my sister Catherine has leukaemia, she is nine, yet our mum still has time and love for us all."

The prize for winning was a three-course meal for four at the Thinford Inn.

Inn manager Patrick Robinson said: "During April we encouraged families to nominate their mums and after sifting through the stacks of entries we felt our supermum Marie fitted the bill perfectly."

Mrs Readshaw's mother, Kath Conroy, said: "It's always nice to receive something like this. It's just a little bit of recognition for being a good mum that I keep reminding her she is."