Tributes have been paid to a Shropshire mother-of-five who died suddenly after collapsing while helping at her son’s school.

Patience Peplinski, a 43-year-old pianist and music teacher, of Higher Heath, near Whitchurch, died at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford on Thursday night.

The previous afternoon she suffered a suspected brain haemorrhage and collapsed while helping a friend run an after-school club at Lower Heath School, near Whitchurch, where her youngest son is a pupil.

Her devastated family said her death came “completely out of the blue” and that she had previously been in good health.

Today members of amateur dramatics societies in Shropshire paid tribute to Mrs Peplinski, who worked with groups in Whitchurch, Ellesmere, Wem, Shrewsbury and Telford over the years.

Whitchurch Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Society said its forthcoming production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel, on which Mrs Peplinski had worked, would go ahead in her honour.

Nigel Heath, publicity officer, said: “We have dedicated a page of the programme to her.

“We decided that with the amount of work she had put in that it should be performed out of respect.

“She was our rehearsal pianist and had been with us for well over five years.

“She would give up her time for anybody despite having five children and so she really is going to be sadly missed.”

In Telford, Mrs Peplinski was active with the Telford and District Light Operatic Players, attending two rehearsals a week in her role as pianist.

Frances Taylor, a TADLOP committee member, said: “She was very loyal and always attended our rehearsals.

“She joined us for our Forbidden Planet show and was involved with Me and My Girl, which is in production and due to be performed next April.

“She was very energetic and vibrant, a lovely, kind woman.”

She added that members held a minute’s silence for Mrs Peplinski at Sunday’s rehearsal.

Mrs Peplinski also performed in a production of Little Shop of Horrors at Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury last year and helped with amateur dramatics groups in Ellesmere and Wem too.

Mrs Peplinski leaves five children, Jozef, 19; Izabella, 17; Aggie, 15; Maciek, 12; and Tadek, nine (ALL CORR).

Carousel is to be performed nightly at 7.30pm from November 9 to 12 with a matinee at 1.30pm on November 13 in Whitchurch Civic Centre.

For tickets call 07772 749983 or email waods@hotmail.co.uk

By Tom Johannsen