A DEVOTED mum, grandma, and one of Ipswich's best known foster carers, Louise Fryatt died at the age of 50 just six weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.

A DEVOTED mum, grandma, and one of Ipswich's best known foster carers, Louise Fryatt died at the age of 50 just six weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.

Louise, of Stratford Road, had fostered around 40 children during the course of the last eight years.

She was diagnosed with soft cell cancer in April, months after complaining to doctors about a backache. By the time the diagnosis was made the cancer had spread and she died on May 25.

Her sister, Marcia Buckley, 47, said: "We never really had a chance to get our heads round the fact that she was ill. I'm just glad I've got so many good memories of her. We went on holiday to Spain last summer, and a few months ago we organised a big 50th birthday party for her at the Suffolk Punch. She was just so much fun, always the life and soul of the party.

"A lot of people have said she must have had 80 years of life in 50, which is true. She managed to pack so much in to her time here."

Louise fostered her first child in 1994 and the family still keep in touch with several of the children who have passed through their doors. Kelly Swift, now 21, was the first child the couple fostered and still visits the Fryatt family regularly.

Mrs Buckley said: "What was so good about Louise was that she always made an effort to keep in touch with the families of the children that she fostered. She even had the father of one of the children come to hers for Christmas dinner, that's just the kind of loving, caring person she was.

"We were from a very big family and I think she was just used to having children around her. She'd always do whatever she could to help people out."

Paying tribute to Louise in a County Council newsletter, Linda Austin, a member of Suffolk County Council's social care staff, said: "Big-hearted, loving, willing and competent, Louise's death will leave a hole in the foster care service that cannot easily be filled."

Husband, Claude, 54, said: "There were over 300 people at her funeral. She was extremely well known in the community and it was nice to have such a big farewell for her."

Louise had five children of her own: Lisa, 31, Jonathan, 30, Jason, 28, Mark, 26 and Nathan, 18. She also had eight grandchildren.

Daughter Lisa said: "I think she will always be remembered as a very generous, giving person. The door was always open for people. Any time day or night, she'd always rustle up an extra meal for people who dropped by. She had a very big heart."