A SPATE of cards, calls and tributes sympathising with Mrs Joyce Latham over the loss of her daughter Sally is baffling both of them – for Sally is alive and well.

"In fact she is planning to get married in August," said Mrs Latham, of Sunnybanks, Coleford, who is well known in the Forest area for her poems.

"Actually I am hoping it is all a genuine mistake. If not, who would want to start something like this?" she said.

"Sally had breast cancer and had an operation three months ago, and at the time it was publicised because she wanted to thank everyone who had helped and supported her.

"At first I thought it was some kind of a joke but when more of these condolences started to arrive I had to put them in the bin – the word seemed to have got around.

"I don't doubt that the people who are sending them now are genuine, but I didn't want Sally to see them – it wouldn't help her at all I thought."

It was now about a week and a half since the tributes started and Sally now knows about them, she said.

"I looked in all the local papers to see if there was perhaps someone with the same name in the notices who had passed on but I can find absolutely nothing that would have led to the rumour," she said.

Hopefully the operation had led to a complete cure and future tests would see her daughter going from strength to strength.

"I just want to let everyone know that Sally is just fine," she said.