SINGER Barbara Law who enjoyed a music career spanning seven decades has died following a short fight with cancer.

The 82-year-old lost her battle on Tuesday, seven weeks after she was diagnosed with the devastating disease.

“Thankfully it was a pretty short fight,” said her only son Scott Reed.

“My mum had a remarkable life. She started singing professionally when she was 14 - she had been performing for over seven decades.

“When my mum was in the final stages of her illnesses I asked her if she could be anywhere in the world right now where would she be?

“She had travelled all around the world but she didn’t even need to think about her answer.

“She said singing at the Parr Hall – she was Warrington through and through.”

Barbara, who grew up in Howley, caught the singing bug from an early age.

She would regularly put on shows in her back garden where she would set up a stage and charge her neighbours, family and friends.

By 14 she was singing with dance bands in and around her hometown and in 1954 she passed a BBC audition to sing with the Northern Dance Orchestra - known to listeners as the NDO.

Barbara, who counted Ken Dodd as a close friend, sang on more than 500 BBC broadcasts.

“I thought it was normal to have a mum who travelled around the world,” said 39-year-old Scott, who lives in Appleton.

“I would be backstage all the time. She was a real family person and a fantastic mum.

 “She used to take me on summer seasons and, if I couldn’t go, she would travel back from the south coast just to see me.

“All she wanted to do was entertain and she was shining brightly even in her final moments.”

The grandma-of-two's television career started in the late 1950s on ITV.

She appeared on the Morecambe & Wise TV Show, The Ken Dodd Show, The Good Old Days, The Val Doonican TV Show, Sing Along With Joe, The Dickie Henderson Show and The One O'Clock Show.

In 1961 she was voted TV Personality of the Year by viewers.

In 1965 Barbara represented Great Britain for the BBC in the Nord Ring Song Festivals, which was broadcast in 25 European countries.

From the late 1980s Barbara lived with her husband George in Tenerife where she continued her singing career touring large hotels around the Canary Island singing to an estimated audience of more than one million people over a further 20-year period.

She moved back to Warrington a couple of years ago where she was surrounded by her growing family which including grandchildren Estelle and Cassian.

"She has entertained so many people and it's clear the effect she had around the Warrington area," said Scott. 

"She could always put a smile of people's face - that's what she lived for."

Barbara's funeral will be held at Warrington Parish Church at 2.45pm on April 11.

All are welcome to attend the service to celebrate her life.

Instead of flowers, mourners are invited to make a donation to Culture Warrington.

This is a charitable trust delivering arts, heritage and events across Warrington.   

Formed in May 2012, Culture Warrington operates the venues of Warrington Museum & Art Gallery and Pyramid & Parr Hall, as well as providing events across the town.

To donate click here.