The death of 45-year-old Sylvia Banks was a real tragedy. In the early hours of Sunday morning, after enjoying the music festival in Bingley's Myrtle Park and a few drinks afterwards, she fell over a wall on to Riverside Walk and subsequently died.

There is plenty of cause in that for grieving for the loving family she left behind. However, their attitude towards her death is most refreshing. They want to uphold her memory as a fun-loving person who gave joy to those around her, someone who believed in living life to the full, and who put others before herself.

It's a tribute to her influence that the notice of her death in yesterday's T&A was an uplifting celebration of her life rather than a cry of anguish at losing her so suddenly. "She wouldn't want you to mourn her, or feel sorry for her," it says. "She was never one for sympathy or fuss. She'd rather you have a party."

The impression it gives is that, tragic though the accident was, Sylvia's death, if it had to happen, could perhaps not have come in more fitting circumstances - at the end of a day which she had thoroughly enjoyed.

Her family and friends will mourn, of course, perhaps despite themselves. They will feel the loss of her for a long time. But they have adopted her philosophy and seem determined to accept the situation and get on with their lives with the best smile they can muster.

Clearly, she would have been proud of them. We are happy to join in the tributes to her - and add another to them.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.