FAMILY and friends of a 33-year-old mum-of-four and step-mum of three, who lost her battle with cancer, have vowed to "party on" in celebration of her life.

When Marie Burman, of West Bowling, Bradford, was given only weeks left to live, her family asked what she wanted to do with the time she had left - and she said she wanted to be at her own wake.

Her mum Christine Stones, of Glenside Avenue, Windhill, Shipley, said: "Marie was always a party-animal.

"She was the life and soul of all our parties and she just didn't want to miss out. She said why should you lot have a party without me!"

Sadly, Mrs Burman died before the party could go ahead this Saturday but her family and friends are determined the wake at Idle Working Men's Club, which will follow her funeral at Nab Wood Crematorium this Friday, will be a fitting tribute to her.

"We're still going ahead with it to make sure it's a party she would be proud of," said Mrs Stones, 63.

Mrs Burman, who had her first daughter Chloe when she was 18, had only been married three months when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer after she had been referred to hospital following a routine smear test.

Despite bouts of chemotherapy and radiotherapy the cancer eventually spread to other parts of her body leaving her in a wheelchair and unable to speak.

Mrs Stones said: "Marie put up a good fight.

"She had been convinced she would be cured. She loved her family so much but in the end she knew she would never be free from it.

"While she still had her strength, she didn't let it hold her back. She wanted to keep things as normal for the children as possible but in the end she had to tell them. It was hard."

In February last year the Telegraph & Argus told how her 11-year-old daughter Katie Lygo was having 30cms from her long locks chopped to help little girls battling the disease feel like princesses, while her mum was bravely facing her own fight against cancer.

Katie, who was then a pupil at Bowling Park Primary School, also raised £200 for the Little Princess charity.

Mrs Burman leaves her parents Christine and Mick Stones, husband Vince, four of her own children and three step-children - the youngest of whom is only three. She brought them all up as her own.

At Friday's funeral there will be a collection in her memory for the Bexley Wing at St James's Hospital, Leeds, where she died on Wednesday, April 8 with Vince at her side.