See Sunderland daughter's incredible GINGERBREAD village she made in tribute to late mum following battle with cancer

Sandra Graham with her gingerbread village in memory of her mother Frances Ellison to raise funds for St Benedict's Hospice who cared for her mum. Picture by FRANK REID

Sandra Graham tragically lost her mum Frances Ann Ellison (nee Murphy) following a battle with cancer on September 2 this year.

The much-loved grandmother from Pilgrim Close, was well known in the Sunderland, for her work as a carer at Riverview Lodge in Southwick.

The 73-year-old had been diagnosed with endometrial cancer in 2017 and had been in remission for around a year, but on July 2 doctors told her the devastating news that she was terminally ill.

The gingerbread village created by Sandra Graham in memory of her mother Frances Ellison to raise funds for St Benedict's Hospice.

Frances, who was one of 13 brothers and sisters, had loved Christmas and it was her hope that she would live to see through the festive season, but she sadly died just 60 days later.

During her illness, Frances was cared for by St Benedict's Hospice and daughter Sandra couldn’t praise the organisation enough for everything they did for her mum.

In a bid to thank the hospice, Sandra has spent months creating an incredible gingerbread village – called Frances Town – to pay tribute to her mother’s love of the festive season and to raise money for the hospice.

The partially edible masterpiece pays homage to France’s strong Sunderland roots, with the streets where she would have grown up recreated in gingerbread and renamed after members of the family.

The gingerbread village was made in tribute to beautiful mum and grandmother Frances Ann Ellison (nee Murphy).

The effort will now be on display at St Benedict’s Hospice on St. Benedict's way in Sunderland, for visitors to see and a bucket will be placed beside it to raise money for the service to continue its incredible work. Donations are also gratefully accepted online.

The masterpiece is made from both wood and gingerbread and has taken Sandra three months to complete.

Sandra, 44, from Teddington Square, Sunderland, said: “After I lost my mum I was thinking how am I going to get through the run up to Christmas without her.

“So I decided to make the gingerbread village as my mum loved Christmas.

Sandra Graham who created a gingerbread village in memory of her mother Frances Ellison.

“It called Frances Town and pays tribute to every single member of the family – it even has Murphy Main Street.

“I had never done anything like it before but watched videos on YouTube and my colleagues at grand Central Trains helped me with the scaling as many of them have model railways.”Frances who works as a customer service assistant on the London trains, continued: “I hope it will raise a little bit of awareness for St Benedict’s Hospice.

“They cared for my mum and I don’t know how we would have done it without them.

“They are absolutely amazing.

Sandra Graham along with her sister Gina Hewitt and the gingerbread village she created in memory of their mother Frances Ellison.

“I hope it will give people a bit of hope at Christmas and remind people that life does carry on.”

Frances leaves behind husband Charlie, children Sandra Graham, Tanya Ferguson, Gina Hewitt, and Mandy Ellison, along with her grandchildren.