Carol Swales, 53, of Intake, died after a six year battle with breast cancer.

She made regular appearances as a catwalk queen for cancer charities Aurora and Firefly and it was during her charity work that Carol stumbled across the fairytale dress that she was preparing to walk down the aisle to renew her vows with husband Michael later this month.

Carol, was re-diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago after previously undergoing chemo-therapy.

She died last Wednesday before the couple who have three children - Joanne, 35, Nadine 32, and Lee, 29 - got the chance to renew their vows when Carol was to wear the dress she showed off at a Firefly fundraiser.

Michael, 57, said: "When we got married we didn't have a lot of money and Carol had always said she would like to renew our vows one day.

"When I saw her in that dress it was really emotional she just fell in love with it and had tears in her eyes. All the children were welling up too.

"I just said the next day let's go and buy it. I think she was quite surprised."

Despite facing an uphill struggle to overcome her illness, proud husband Michael said it was Carol's work with Aurora and Firefly that brought out the best in her.

He said: "The shows brought out the best in Carol and each time she grew in confidence and made new friends.

"I will remember lots of things about Carol but most of all the way she used to help people, she'd go out of her way and sometimes we would tell her she was taking on too much but that was just the way she was."

A service will take place on Monday at 9.45am at All Saints Church, Intake followed by a cremation at Rosehill at 10.40am.

Denise Dunn, founder of Firefly, paid tribute to Carol.

She said: "When she put the dress on Carol stood in front of the mirror and was in floods of tears. We all were. She said she felt like a princess and she looked sensational.

"Carol never let this awful disease bring her down. She made the most of everything and lived life to the full - she was a shining star.

"She was an absolute inspiration - and boy did she shimmy down that catwalk.

"When she first started doing the shows she had no confidence but she just grew so much in confidence and rocked it on the catwalk."

Carol also leaves six grandchildren.