A nursery nurse who played a major role in life at a school in Market Drayton for more than 20 years has died after a battle with cancer.

Anne Crideford

Anne Crideford, 54, died at Severn Hospice in Shrewsbury on November 17 after complications arose while undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer.

Cards and messages of support have poured in for the former staff member at Market Drayton Infant School where she worked for more than 21 years.

Mrs Crideford, who also had a spell at Hugo Meynell Primary School in Loggerheads, was married to Chris for 26 years and leaves three children and four grandchildren. Mr Crideford said: “Anne was always there for you, no matter what, and she was so positive.

“She organised everything and everybody and if any of the children wanted anything, Anne would drop what she was doing and be there for them.

“Before she died, we were holding hands and she gripped mine while lying there virtually unconscious, then opened her eyes, looked at me and drifted away.

“If it had been in a film, you would have said it was staged because it was so peaceful after all the trauma she had been through.”

Mrs Crideford carried out a number of roles at the infant school, one of which was to help set up a speech and language programme.

Headteacher Samantha Scott said: “I first met Anne 16 years ago when I started teaching at Market Drayton Junior School and I think her daughter Charlotte was in Year Six. She made such a difference to so many children’s lives.”

Stephen Boughey, chairman of governors, said: “Anne always gave over and above what was expected of her, was well-respected by parents and loved by the children she worked with.”

Family and friends will attend a service of mass in memory of Mrs Crideford at St Thomas and St Stephen Church in Market Drayton tomorrow at 10am.

It will be followed by a service of celebration at 11am at St Mary’s Church in the town where a collection will be made for the work of the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital’s oncology and chemotherapy unit and the charity Ovarian Cancer Action.

By Winston Brown