An Upton woman has thanked the community for rallying around her following her mum’s death.

Suzanne Hurley died suddenly aged 70 in September and daughter Faye says there was an “overwhelming outpouring of support”.

“I put a message on Facebook just asking for storage boxes as we needed to clear mum’s place out,” said Faye.

“People were stopping me in the street, complete strangers saying ‘I knew your mum, I’m so sorry’. I was thinking ‘how many people did my mum know?’.

“Planit Products gave us a load of boxes and tape, marker pens, everything - it was just lovely.

“The people at the Priory Church in Malvern were amazing - mum hadn’t been for a year or so before she died but they remembered her with real fondness and even rang the bells for her.

“There have been so many acts of love from people and I feel like that’s mum’s legacy, she’d go out of her way to show kindness to people.

“She’d been a Christian since just before I was born. She’d say ‘I’ll pray for you’ and I think it takes real courage to put your faith out there.

“I believe that what you put out into the world, comes back.”

Faye moved to Upton from Kent with her children in 2010, with Suzanne moving to Great Malvern in 2010.

“We attended domestic abuse recovery programmes together here - Worcestershire is a healing place for us,” said Faye.

“Mum loved this place. She loved the music festivals, she joined the praise group at the Priory and in 2018 she moved into a bungalow on the Barnleigh Estate in Barnards Green, where she found a profound sense of belonging.

“She absolutely loved it. She had her cat, her views of the hills and she’d sit chatting with her neighbours.”

In an “open letter of love and thanks” posted on Facebook, Faye added: “My family and I are profoundly grateful to the people of Malvern, Upton, and surrounding villages not only for the love, care, and support you’ve given following my Mum’s passing but also for making her life so happy here.

“This community is very unique and special - a place that embodies genuine support, generosity and care. It truly is the heart of this country and will always be loved and honoured by myself and my family.”