The 67-year-old, of Park Place East, not only lost her beloved sister to breast cancer, but was then diagnosed with the condition herself.

But despite having undergone a double mastectomy, the Hendon woman is fighting back and proving herself worthy of a nomination for the Echo's I Love Mum competition.

Alice was devastated when sister Angie, 62, died after developing breast cancer.

But then a routine mammogram revealed she had also developed breast cancer.

Just a week later, she had a breast removed at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead. Doctors were then forced to remove her other breast after they found the cancer had spread.

Alice, who worked for Brian Mills catalogue company in Hendon, says she is now looking forward to the future.

"My family has been very good and I'm strong person. I've had knock backs before and I've always bounced back."

Now retired, Alice enjoy swimming at Sunderland's Aquatic Centre and walks along the seafront with husband John, 70.

She added: "He's been really good. When I had my first breast done I had to go to the hospital every day and he drove me there."

Alice is mum to Julie and Sharon, who lives in Chester-le-Street, and has three grandchildren aged 16, 15 and seven.

Daughter Julie, 42, said: "As the rest of family started to fall apart she continued to be positive and carried on doing what she does best, running about after her family."Throughout all the tests and operations she kept positive and concentrated on getting better.

"She still continued to manage running about after my dad, sister and I without any hesitation.

"She has never complained or moaned about this health scare, even though she says she doesn't feel right in anything she wears."

With Mother's Day this Sunday, The Bridges and the Echo have teamed up to give one lucky reader and their mum a fashion makeover worth more than £500 as part of their I Love Mum competition.