TRIBUTES have been paid to a grandmother who devoted much of her time to helping people with disabilities.

Stella Scholes died on Thursday, January 17, aged 72.

Mrs Scholes, of College View, Esh Winning,County Durham, helped set up the Durham Disability Outlook Forum and Durham Shopmobility.

The Outlook Forum aimed to help disabled people onto training courses and into work.

Shopmobility, based in the Prince Bishops Shopping Centre in Durham, loans scooters and wheelchairs, to help disabled people get around the city.

A mother-of-three and grandmother-of-two, Mrs Scholes also played a key role in establishing The House, an outreach project in Esh Winning where single mothers were taught skills such as cooking and budgeting.

The House was opened by David Jenkins, then Bishop of Durham.

Mrs Scholes' funeral, held at Durham Crematorium yesterday (JAN 25), was attended by more than 50 mourners, including Durham MP Roberta Blackman-Woods.

Mrs Scholes' widower, Stafford, said his wife was a beautiful person who made friends easily and never complained, despite suffering a number of illnesses.

Mrs Scholes was born in Lewisham, on January 10, 1936. She lost her hearing as a result of meningitis, aged 39.

However, she continued to work at the Land Registry, in Durham, and served on the predecessor of the Primary Care Trust board.

Mrs Scholes was diagnosed with liver cancer in December. She died in University Hospital of North Durham.

She leaves her husband, children Jon, Susan and Penny and grandchildren Enya and Ailsa.

Her husband Stafford, who also devotes much of his time to community work in his role as secretary of the North Durham Prostrate Cancer Support Group, said: "She was always there for other people.

"People in the village could call her if they needed support and counselling. She was a shoulder to lean on."

Mrs Scholes' funeral was led by Fr Kevin Tromans, chaplain to University Hospital of North Durham.

Her family have requested that anyone wishing to make a donation in lieu of flowers should do so to St Cuthbert's Hospice. Donations can be sent care of N Alderson Funeral Directors, Flass Terrace, Ushaw Moor.