DEVOTED mother Sarah Clark handpicked Christmas presents for her four children shortly before losing her battle against cancer.

The 26-year-old, who was surrounded by her family when she died, wanted her son and three daughters to enjoy as normal a Christmas as possible.

Kayleigh, eight, Kieran, six, Paige, four, and Rhiannon, two, are trying to come to terms with their mum's death at their home in Milton Avenue, Melksham.

Her husband Charlie said her life revolved around the children.

He said: "She put the kids before anything else. It was Kayleigh's birthday on the day before she died. I had to come home and break the news to her it was the hardest thing I've had to do.

"Christmas has been lousy, but I've tried to make it as normal as possible for the kids. The two older ones have been upset but the other two are too young to understand, but I did get tears from Paige on Christmas Day because she wanted her mummy."

Mr Clark, 28, said his wife was also forced to spend the previous Christmas in hospital and was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease, a cancer of the lymph nodes, in January.

Twelve months of treatment, including chemotherapy, had been fighting the disease but Sarah's life was cut short by a form of pneumonia on December 21.

Mr Clark said: "Before she was diagnosed she lost a lot of weight and hair and had no appetite. At one point she couldn't leave the house because she was short of breath.

"On one hand she was strong when she was told what she had but on the other hand she was quite upset. We all rallied round and wrapped her up in cotton wool which she really hated."

Further tests, carried out earlier this year, showed cancer cells were still active around her windpipe. More chemotherapy followed but after catching an infection she was moved into intensive care at the Royal United Hospital in Bath and put on a ventilator. Mr Clark said: "I will remember her for so many things. She was a fun-loving person and anybody she met she befriended."

Close friend and neighbour Geoff Bracey is planning to pay tribute to Mrs Clark by painting her name on his motocross bike.

He said: "When I compete I will be riding in her name.

"Our house was like her second home and she was so generous and happy. The news of her death came as a big shock."

Mrs Clark was born in Bath on October 1, 1977. She grew up in Box, attending Box Highlands School before moving to Melksham where she attended George Ward School.

She became a classroom assistant at Lowbourne Infants School, was a childminder and worked at Toft Food Ltd in Devizes. She enjoyed writing poetry and was a marshal at motocross competitions.

Her funeral was due to be held at 12 noon today (Friday) at St Andrew's Church, where she married Charlie in September 1995, followed by a burial at Melksham Cemetery.