Joyce Wagstaff was 80 years old when she first picked up a paint brush but it was to open a whole new world to her.

She discovered a talent which she never knew she had and even though she died in August after succumbing to cancer, her work lives on. Now it is raising money for research into the disease.

The grandmother-of-seven, from Idle, was diagnosed with head and neck cancer four years ago. Two years into her treatment she began to attend art classes at the Cancer Support Centre in Duckworth Lane and with the help of teachers began to produce work of real quality.

Her daughter Carol Burn, son-in-law Gary and nine-year-old grandson Mark, of Harper Crescent, Idle, were so proud of her work that when it was her birthday in May they had one of her water colours printed up as a card.

Now that card is on sale and all profits are going to cancer research and the Telegraph & Argus Bradford Can... Cancer Research Appeal.

Mark, pictured with one of the cards, has inherited her artistic steak and is busy working on his own design to make into a Christmas card for the appeal.

The family has already raised £400 and have given the money to the Cancer Support Unit, Macmillian nurses, The Cancer Research Campaign and Bradford Can...

Carol said: "Mum was thrilled with the card and thrilled to think that other people would buy her work. The thing that pleased her most was to be able to give back something to the people who had given her so much."

At the beginning of the year Mrs Wagstaff discovered the cancer had spread to her lungs and there was nothing more the doctors could do. After she died her family discovered dozens more pictures she had produced and plan to make even more cards.

"The lovely thing is that she is leaving behind fond memories of a special lady and also something we can show future generations," said Carol.

"We discussed where she wanted the money to go when she died and she wanted it to go to cancer research.

"When I read about the Bradford Can... appeal I thought it would be ideal. It shows what can be done when people make the effort and if one small family like us can raise £400, we will soon raise £1 million."