AN “INSPIRATIONAL mum” and Worcester City hero has been honoured by her friends and family.

Lynne Jones passed away on Monday, June 3 at St Richard's Hospice after a long battle with cancer.

Despite most people with terminal pancreatic cancer expected to live no more than nine months, Mrs Jones fought on for three years.

Mrs Jones was born in Malvern in 1947, but lived in Worcester when she was young while her parents owned a greengrocer.

Mrs Jones met her future husband at her best friend’s wedding in 1966.

By February 1967, they were dating and by June 1968, the couple were married. She worked as an officer for the housing association, while also working on her self-employed husband’s accounts.

Lynne and Brian Jones moved to Kempsey in 1971 after their eldest daughter, Hayley Henshall, 53, was born.

They would have two more children: Christy, 51, and Ian, 41. Mrs Henshall would go on to have two sons: Oliver, 22, and William, 20, while Christy would have a daughter, Libby, 17.

Mrs Henshall said her mum was “the kindest, most selfless, caring, generous, courageous, stubborn and independent person we know.”

Mr and Mrs Jones supported Worcester City for over 50 years.

After the club left St George’s Lane in 2013, the couple actively helped as part of the Trust.

In 2022, City highlighted Mrs Jones’s devotion by saying: “Lynne raised thousands of pounds for the club via the halftime draw and via the club shop.”

Mrs Jones was ‘chuffed to bits’ when Worcester City won the Hellenic League in May but was disappointed that Brian couldn’t see it after he died a month earlier on April 4.

A bench will be made in Mr and Mrs Jones honour using donations provided the couple. The bench will be at Claines Lane until a new permanent ground is built for the club. Their donations will also go towards funding a new mascot outfit.

In a statement on Monday, June 3, Worcester City football club said: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Lynne Jones earlier today.

"Everyone here at the Club send their thoughts and love to the family at this difficult time."

Outside of their commitments at the football club, Mr and Mrs Jones were keen travellers. A safari in Kenya would inspire their son Ian to work with animals in the future as a big cat handler.

A celebration of Lynne and Brian’s lives will be held at Worcester Crematorium on Wednesday, June 19 at 12.15pm.