Dennis Cooper and his wife Jan who died from a brain haemorrhage last weekGRIEF-stricken grandfather Dennis Cooper has paid an emotional tribute to his wife, who died suddenly from a brain haemorrhage at the age of 59.

Jan Cooper had just enjoyed watching the England football team beat Azerbaijan when she collapsed at her Bishopstone home last week.

Her family were stunned when she died the next day.

Retired Anchor Food worker, Dennis, 63, said: "She was a brilliant and very loving mother.

"She was straight talking, and you always knew where you stood with her.

"She was taken away before her time and it is going to take a long time for it to settle in.

"She was a very popular person. It's hard to take in. We were just enjoying an evening at home together."

Jan was initially taken to the Great Western Hospital.

But when her condition worsened, she was taken to Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford.

Several years ago, she suffered an aneurysm a blood vessel weakness but doctors do not believe it was connected to the haemorrhage.

The mother-of-two was popular with colleagues at the Early Learning Centre head office in South Marston, where she worked as a kitchen assistant.

In her younger days, Jan was a cheerleader for local speedway teams. She would lead the riders into the stadium at Blunsdon.

Dennis still recalls the moment the couple first laid eyes on each other.

He said: "It was at the dancehall of the Moonrakers. I was carrying a plate of sandwiches, and she came and nicked one.

"She had a wonderful hourglass figure and was really quite something."

The devoted pair married two years later in 1966 and had two daughters, Sarah and Samantha.

Later in life, Jan enjoyed spending time with her four grandchildren and one step grandchild. Her funeral will be held at 12.30pm tomorrow at Kingsdown Crematorium.

Tamash Lal